Aura Heart Journey
by Kairomaru
Summary: Ash Ketchum has finally reached the age to leave home and become a Pokémon Trainer; in a world full of powerful creatures and experienced trainers a young Aura user has his work cut out for him. But with his knowledge, skill, and heart, along with meeting some good friends; Ash will rise to the top of the Pokémon world. Aura Ash, Older Ash, Smarter Ash, Slow Burn Harem
1. The Journey Begins

**All right friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with my first foray into the Pokémon series. I've had this idea for a Pokémon story in my head for a couple years slowly building up how I'd like the anime to have been. To give something to the world that I spent the better part of my childhood in; I've tried to make this Alternate Universe tale something that was distinct enough from the anime to be interesting and entertaining, while also being faithful to established Pokémon lore. **

**As always Patrons get all chapters a month early and all one-shots are Pat re on exclusive.**

**If you're not a Patron please thank the ones who helped make this possible.**

**Thank you; Lu Bane Na, Frimorigo, Thomas E Nellis, Patrick Ayres, John Smith, Lukas Kusché, Kaymann, Jacob Ward, Kyle Anderson, Evgeniy Kazanin, Michael Greene, Daniel Williams, CC100, Victor Garrett, Brody Meech, Benjamin, Paul Nichols, Alastor God of Vengeance, Mauday, and Thomas B. Wilkes.**

**If you'd like to become a patron and get access to these chapters a month earlier, just head on over to Pat re on and add a /Kairomaru after the com.**

**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Chapter 1 – The Journey Begins**

The world of Pokémon is a vast place filled with many mysterious and powerful creatures. They roam the land, swim in the sea, and fly high through the sky. Pokémon are truly amazing creatures and it is no surprise that humans live and work alongside them; the friendships and bonds they share enriching the lives of people and Pokémon alike. The Pokémon world is often peaceful and balanced, living in harmony with nature. However this is not always the case, powerful Pokémon dubbed Legendary or Mythical for their rarity and power can sometimes be disturbed from their peaceful lives and go on to cause destruction in the form of rampages, battles between each other, battles against humans that seek to control their immense power, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms and all manner of other catastrophes can rage across the Pokémon world when these Legendary and Mythical Pokémon are disturbed.

The highest, most powerful Pokémon, Arceus is credited for the creation of existence. It is said to have emerged from an egg in the void before the universe began. This Pokémon, according to legend, created three other god-like Pokémon with its incomprehensible power. The Ruler of Time Dialga, the Ruler of Space Palkia, and the Ruler of Gravity Giratina; with the creation of these three Pokémon time began to flow and space began to expand while gravity brought the tiniest of particles together slowly forming the first stars to light up the empty dark universe. Over time as eons passed and stars began to die in supernova explosions creating more complex elements, with gravity bringing these elements that would make up rocks and water together to form planets, Arceus began to create life once more. Its first creatures were simple and capable of surviving anywhere, the bacteria. Eons later with more planets formed Arceus tried to create more life only for Giratina's power and renegade attitude to end most attempts before they could truly begin. Thus led to Giratina's banishment from the normal Universe to what would later be known as the Distortion World, a separate realm of existence where Giratina's massive gravitational powers could not only be allowed to run wild but would in turn support the stability of the regular Universe.

With Giratina safely in the Distortion world, Arceus was free to continue creating more life in the universe. No one knows for sure when or how long it took for the first Pokémon or the first Humans to appear nor which came first. Only that Pokémon were born with powerful abilities, capable of controlling the elements themselves, as well as powerful bodies capable of surviving even in harsh conditions. It is said that Arceus, seeing the disparity in abilities between the Pokémon and Humans, created three new Pokémon to give the Humans abilities of their own. Thus Uxie, Azelf and Mesprit where created and sent out into the world to bring forth the potential of humanity. When Uxie flew over the Humans of the ancient world it granted them knowledge and the ability to solve problems, it was revered as the Being of Knowledge. When Azelf flew over the ancient Humans it bestowed upon them Willpower, the drive to do things and face any of life's difficulties. It was hailed as the Being of Willpower. When Mesprit flew over the Humans it instilled Emotion into their hearts. Every feeling from joy to sorrow, from love to hatred was born in the hearts of Humans. It was praised as the Being of Emotion.

From this, Humans began to form into various tribes, hunting for food and building shelters for long term habitation. Villages began to appear throughout the world and Arceus was pleased. But it soon came to be that the humans could not match the vast power of Pokémon. Whenever a powerful Pokémon fought against the human tribes and villages it was always the humans that lost their lives and had their villages destroyed. Arceus could not deign to tell its creations how to live their lives, without their free will even its direct creations that controlled the land, Groudon, and controlled the sea, Kyogre, wouldn't be able to perform the necessary tasks that kept the world balanced and ever changing. Arceus called out to its many Legendary children, asking them what could be done so that the Humans might have a chance to truly understand and bond with Pokémon.

It is said that Arceus' newest Legendary creation offered up the answer; Meloetta the Melody Pokémon a Legendary created from Arceus after Humans had begun to make primitive music and instruments. Meloetta could make Pokémon feel any emotion through her voice and songs but could not do the same for humans. It was because humans lacked the same power that Pokémon had, the power that let them survive against even the harshest of environments and generate their attacks and abilities. Arceus saw the truth of Meloetta's answer and so endowed the humans with the same power as Pokémon, thus Humans were born with the capability to harness Aura. With the latent power within humans they now could not only have a chance to survive against wild Pokémon; but come to understand and bond with them as friends. Arceus, seeing all of its creations finally able to understand one another , was pleased and made for itself a separate dimension in which to rest. Arceus would make physical visits to the Pokémon world every few decades or centuries; but mostly kept watch over its favorite world from within its own dimension.

As the millennia passed and human technology progressed better villages were made; soon agriculture took hold and humans had more food than they could often eat. This led to them offering it to nearby wild Pokémon. The free meal got many Pokémon to stay closer to the villages in hopes of more food. These Pokémon would therefore encounter and interact with more humans than they regularly would. Bonds of friendship began to develop between human and Pokémon and soon some wild Pokémon weren't wild anymore; they'd become friends and members of the human families. These Pokémon would offer their help and power to their human friends and companions and over the years villages became towns, towns became cities, and eventually the first countries were formed. During this time of change the now partnered Pokémon would fight to protect their human companions from violent wild Pokémon; showing both the inclination and enjoyment of battle between their various species. As Pokémon Battling became the main way to protect settlements from wild Pokémon attacks, humans began to slowly use their own latent Aura abilities less and less. Eventually only a very small percentage of humans continued to practice their abilities through the generations.

**-Present Day-**

It was night time in Pallet Town. Stores had started to close, and most children had already gone to sleep for the night. There were only gentle sounds of nature all throughout the small town. It was a very tranquil and peaceful place at the southwest coast of the Kanto Region. A light was still on in one house, it showed from a second story bedroom window. The bedroom in question belonged to Ash Ketchum. It had been three days since his graduation from Pallet Junior High and he finally had his Pokémon Trainer License. Now that he had finished his compulsory education he would finally be able to begin his journey to be a Pokémon Master. It had been the only thing he had thought about, aside from graduation exams, the last three months.

Ash currently had the TV on and was watching a Pokémon battle between a Gengar and a Nidorino. The Pokémon belonged to members of the Kanto Elite Four, Gengar belonged to Agatha the Ghost Master, and Nidorino belonged to Bruno the Fighting Master. Many would think it odd that a Fighting Type Expert like Bruno would have a non-Fighting Type Pokémon; that was pure folly, being an Expert only meant that you specialized in a Type and knew the ins and outs of that Type better than most other trainers. Elite trainers like Bruno and Agatha trained varieties of Pokémon to gain skill and experience with all Types. Ash had to study these things during his three years in Junior High in order to pass the tests to get his Trainer License.

However, despite the intensity of the battle, Ash wasn't paying it his full attention. He was mainly focusing on his plans for tomorrow. Ash's mother had bought him a few new sets of travel clothes for his journey earlier that week, which he was currently packing into his bag for his journey. Ash didn't think he'd use every pocket in the slightly large bag but it could hold pretty much everything a travelling trainer could need. It had enough space for a small one person tent, a sleeping bag, a large canteen for water, matches, flashlight, cordage, a winter jacket for cold weather, a small set of pots and a small skillet for cooking, eating utensils, a short machete for cutting through overgrown paths, his trusty survival knife his father had given him, and a tarp to put up in case it rained. His mother had also contributed a book on camp cooking recipes so that Ash could catch and cook some of his own food out in the field instead of always spending his money at restaurants in towns.

After getting his clothes packed Ash looked back towards the TV seeing Bruno recalling his Nidorino and sending out an Onix. The large, even for its species, rock snake roared loudly at the Ghost Type Pokémon before launching a Stone Edge attack at the Gengar. Agatha obviously gave her Pokémon some kind of command as Gengar grinned wickedly before dodging the Stone Edge and launching a large Energy Ball attack at the Rock Type.

"Oh, that's not gonna be good!" Ash exclaimed as he watched Onix move its tail to intercept the attack; the rock snake simply to slow to try and dodge the incoming Grass Type attack. The explosion from the impact of the Energy Ball with Onix's tail was large, but before the smoke could begin to clear Onix launched itself through the smoke with a metallic sheen covering its body and slamming Gengar into the ground.

"Onix's Ability must be Sturdy to not faint from a four times effective attack. Gengar probably won't be much better after taking that Heavy Slam attack either. That Onix is almost double the size of an average Onix so its weight is probably close to double as well. That would mean that it weighs almost ten times what Gengar does, so Heavy Slam will do a large amount of damage." Ash said to himself as he watched Onix pull itself back up and Gengar struggle to get off the ground.

"Ash, you should get to bed soon." Delia Ketchum, Ash's mother, advised her son, while standing in the doorway to his room. "It's late, Ash." she continued. "Tomorrow is the day you start your Pokémon Trainer journey. You need your rest otherwise you might oversleep and get a late start."

"I know, Mom, I'm just really excited for tomorrow. I'll go to bed as soon as this battle is over." Ash replied as he turned towards the TV.

"Alright, I'm recording this match too. Just make sure you get up on time." Delia instructed as she left her son's room.

"Sure thing, Mom." Ash replied as he watched Bruno's Onix get taken down by another Energy Ball from Gengar.

**-The Next Morning-**

"Today is the day; I just need to get to the lab." Ash said to himself as he finished tying his hiking shoes, hiking boots would be murder to walk long distances in but he'd be out in the wild for extended periods of time so tennis shoes wouldn't be the best footwear option either, the hiking shoes he had were a best of both worlds option. He walked out of his room, down the stairs, and then entered the kitchen. His mother had just finished cooking him a large breakfast.

"Since this is the last meal I'm going to cook for you for a while, I made extra, I hope you're hungry." Delia said as she set the plate of food down on the table. Ash looked hungrily at the plate of food in front of him. It consisted of pancakes, bacon, rolled egg omelets, rice, and a bowl of miso soup there was also a small bowl of berries on the side.

"Thanks, Mom!" Ash said as he began to dig in. It tasted amazing as always, it really was great to have a mother that owned her own restaurant. He would definitely miss his mom's cooking while he was on his journey.

"Oh, my little man is going on his Pokémon Trainer journey. You're growing up so fast!" Delia said as she pretended to wipe a tear from her eye as Ash finished his breakfast.

"Mom…come on…really?" Ash muttered embarrassed.

"Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you, silly. Professor Oak is waiting for you, so you should go ahead and get to the lab. You don't want to be late, do you?" Delia asked.

"Ok, I'm heading out, shouldn't have any trouble getting there on time." Ash stated as he headed out the front door and down the road towards Professor Oak's lab.

"Make sure to stop by the house again before you leave!" Delia called after him.

"Sure thing!" Ash shouted back.

After a short walk, about ten minutes in all, Ash arrived at Professor Oak's Pokémon Lab. He quickly walked up the steps and rang the bell beside the door. It was quickly opened by one of the Professor's aides and Ash was led back into the lab to the room where Professor Oak gave out starter Pokémon to new trainers. Gary Oak, Ash's friend/rival, and a girl named Leaf, who treated both Gary and him like her little brothers, were already there. Both of them were waiting for Ash along with someone Ash hadn't seen before. The young man had brown hair and wore grey jeans with a white long sleeve shirt with a red Pokeball printed on the front. He seemed to be here to get a starter Pokémon as well.

Behind all of them stood Professor Samuel Oak with a table, on which three Pokeballs rested, between him and the now four teenagers. He was an older man in his early sixties. He wore a white lab coat over a red polo shirt securely tucked into khaki pants with a belt.

"Well, well, it seems all of you are here a little early," Professor Oak said, giving the four a smile. "I know all of you are excited. A new adventure awaits you all! The start of your very own journey with Pokémon is very important. Just remember, Pokémon are our friends and partners, treat them with love and care and they'll respond in kind. Do you four understand?" All four nodded their heads causing the Professor to smile.

"Very well, in that case, please pick your first Pokémon." Professor Oak said as he gestured towards the three Pokeballs on the table.

"Ladies first applies here, I think." Ash said with a smile and nod towards Leaf. Gary and the other boy both nodded in agreement at Ash's offer making Leaf smile at all three.

"Thanks guys! I already know which one I want!" Leaf said as she walked towards the table and picked up the Pokeball with a small green leaf sticker on it.

"Bulbasaur, is it? They're very easy to raise since most of them have a gentle disposition." Oak said with a grin as Leaf let out her new Bulbasaur; the new trainer and Pokémon quickly getting along with Leaf holding Bulbasaur in her arms with a smile.

"Zane, why don't you go ahead and choose your Pokémon next?" Professor Oak suggested while motioning the new guy towards the table.

"Thank you, Professor." Zane replied, giving Oak a smile. Zane walked up to the table and studied the remaining two Pokeballs. He seemed to be thinking for a moment before he reached out and took one of the balls.

"Charmander, I choose you!" Zane called out as he opened the Pokeball to reveal Charmander. The orange Fire Type Pokémon stood on two legs and had a flame burning at the end of its tail.

"Char! Char!" it cried as it walked over and sniffed at Zane's outstretched hand.

"Oh, it's adorable!" Leaf cooed, causing Zane, Ash, and Professor Oak to laugh. Gary just rolled his eyes with a grin.

"Well, you're certainly a friendly little guy, aren't you?" Zane asked getting Charmander to nuzzle into his hand. He then picked up Charmander and held it out in front of him. "Would you like to come along with me, buddy?" he asked. Charmander nodded happily, it then blew out a small stream of embers into the air.

"Haha! Happy are you?" Zane chuckled as he stepped back from the table with his new Pokémon so that someone else could pick. Gary decided he would go next. He walked up to the table and looked at the remaining Pokeball.

"Well, I guess that leaves this one for me," Gary stated as he grabbed the Pokeball and opened it. "Come on out, Squirtle!" The Pokeball opened to reveal Squirtle. It was a small, light blue turtle Pokémon that stood on two legs and had a curly tail coming out of its shell. It appeared with its arms crossed and had a confident smirk on its face.

"Well, you look like a tough guy. Why don't you travel with me, Squirtle? We'll beat everyone in our path. Soon enough, everyone will know how strong we are!" Gary offered as he looked down at Squirtle.

"Squirtle!" the Water Type replied; then they both began to laugh. Everyone else in the room couldn't help but chuckle it seemed these two were very much alike.

"I guess that means I'm up." Ash said as he walked up to the table. It was then that he noticed that the Professor hadn't put out any replacement Pokémon. There had only been three Pokeballs on the table, and four trainers had shown up. Everyone else in the room realized this as well as they looked towards the Professor.

"Uh, Professor Oak? You did have at least four Pokémon prepared for today, right? There is one more Pokémon for me, isn't there?" Ash asked confused. Zane, Leaf, and Gary looked at Professor Oak as they were wondering the same thing.

Professor Oak nodded in response. "There is one Pokémon I wanted to give today. It isn't one of the traditional three Starters. But I had planned for either you or Gary to take it depending on who chose first." Oak explained causing Gary and Ash to glance at each other; both knowing this could only mean their _ability_ would be needed for this Pokémon.

"I'll take care of it, if it'll let me." Ash replied with no hesitation. He didn't mind what kind of Pokémon he got and if he could help it out with his abilities he'd happily do so.

"Alright then, I'll have you come to the back. This Pokémon is skittish around people still and a large group would probably frighten it," Professor Oak stated as he led Ash through a door at the back of the room. In the room was a small table with a single Pokeball sitting on it. The Pokeball had a small lightning bolt sticker on it. Professor Oak picked up the Pokeball and gave Ash a serious expression. "Ash, this Pokémon hasn't been around humans much so it's very distrustful with people. I had to use Aura for it to even let me come near it. I'd like to see if you can bond with it and give it a place in your family," Professor Oak said. "Will you try to do this for me?"

"I will Professor. You can count on me, this Pokémon and I will definitely be the best of friends!" Ash proclaimed with utmost conviction.

"Very good Ash, just let him out when you're ready." Professor Oak said as he handed Ash the Pokeball.

"You were going to give this Pokémon to either me or Gary because, aside from you, my mom and dad, and Daisy, we're the only people in Pallet Town that know about and can use Aura, right?" Ash asked as he looked at the Pokeball in his hand. Whatever Pokémon was in this Pokeball would probably become a lifelong partner.

"Correct. I suspect that this Pokémon wouldn't be able to be handled by any regular beginning trainer." Oak replied with a nod.

"Alright then, come on out!" Ash called out as he opened the Pokeball. In a flash of white energy a shape formed on top of the table. The Pokémon was yellow in color and looked a bit like a mouse. It had pointy ears that were tipped with black and one red circular mark on each of its cheeks. It also had a lightning bolt shaped tail. It was a Pikachu. The Pikachu looked around before spotting the two humans; it instantly moved back and sparked its cheeks at them in warning.

"As you can see Pikachu is very skittish around humans. I'm hoping you can help by using your Aura to bond with it." Oak said as he took a few steps back from the table.

"I'll try, Professor." Ash replied as he smiled at the Pikachu on the table. Ash slowly raised his hand up so that Pikachu could see he meant no harm. "Hey there Pikachu, I'm Ash. If I remember right, you're species greets each other with small sparks from your cheeks and tails. I'd like to greet you properly if you'd let me."

"Chu?" Pikachu sounded confused as it tilted its head while looking at the human. Slowly a pale blue light manifested around Ash's outstretched hand, Pikachu looked at the glow warily before it turned yellow and began letting off small sparks. "Pika?!" Pikachu exclaimed as it saw a human producing electricity like an Electric Type Pokémon.

"It's ok, Pikachu, I can produce electricity with my Aura just like you." Ash calmly explained as he slowly moved his hand closer to Pikachu; stopping when he was close enough for Pikachu to touch his hand if it wanted to. Pikachu looked at the sparking hand carefully before leaning forward and rubbing one of its own sparking cheeks against the human's hand. The small sparks that briefly connected the two together were definitely effective at calming Pikachu down. Pikachu pulled back from the human's hand only to turn slightly and bring its tail forward. With a small spark from the tip of its tail connecting to Ash's hand Pikachu waited for Ash to send a return spark. Ash smiled as he gave Pikachu's tail a spark back, the Electric Type making a happy sound before turning back towards Ash and climbing up his outstretched arm before settling on his shoulder.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out happily as Ash slowly stood up as Pikachu examined the rest of the room's surroundings.

"Amazing! You earned his trust so easily, Ash. I'm impressed." Oak smiled at the young man and his new Pikachu.

"Naw, me and Pikachu just got to know each other a bit. We're buddies now right, Pikachu?" Ash asked the Pokémon on his shoulder.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu responded with one of its paws raised up.

"Well, I guess we should be getting back to the others. You can show them your new friend." Oak said with a grin as he led Ash back to the others.

"Aww, another cutie." Leaf cooed again when she saw Ash return with a Pikachu on his shoulder. This caused Zane, Ash, and Professor Oak to laugh again at the girl's reaction, Gary once again rolling his eyes with a grin.

"Ok Pikachu, would you like to get inside your Pokeball? I want to take you home and introduce you to my Mom." Ash asked his new partner.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu shook its head and waved its arms back and forth. It didn't like being in Pokeballs, they felt weird to Pikachu.

"Huh? You don't like Pokeballs, Pikachu?" Ash asked concerned for his Pokémon. Pikachu shook its head before crouching down in a tight ball and shaking back and forth slightly, letting Ash know that Pokeballs felt weird to it.

"Alright then, Pikachu, then you can just stay outside with me! How does that sound?" Ash asked giving Pikachu a smile.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed happily nuzzling Ash's cheek.

"Well, Ash, I will trust your judgement on this. Pikachu certainly seems happy about it," Professor Oak said. He then turned towards a different table off to the side of the room. On it were four red, rectangular devices a bit bigger than a calculator with many different buttons and a three inch screen. "I would like to give you all your Pokedexes now."

Professor Oak picked up the devices and handed one to each of the four new trainers. "These devices are your Pokedexes. They can be used to record and give you any information about the Pokémon you may encounter during your journey. If you see one you haven't come across yet, just open up the Pokedex to get information on it. I have spent many years studying Pokémon, but I'm getting up there in years and can't do field research like I used to. This is where your Pokedexes help me out; they'll send me information on the Pokémon you scan with them and any Pokémon you catch as well. I wish you all luck on your journeys." Oak finished with a smile which all four teenagers returned.

"Mom, I'm back!" Ash called as he and Pikachu entered the house.

"I'm in the kitchen, Ash! I'm just finishing the dishes!" Delia answered back. Ash walked into the kitchen with Pikachu on his shoulder. She was hanging up her white apron and putting away her yellow rubber gloves and had her back turned to him. "So which Pokémon did you choose?"

"I got a new electric buddy, Mom!" Ash stated proudly. "Meet Pikachu, he's my first Pokémon."

"You got a Pikachu?" Delia questioned in confusion before turning around to face Ash and Pikachu.

"Professor Oak decided to give me Pikachu. He told me that he hasn't been around humans much and trusted me to be able to bond with it using my Aura." Ash replied as Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and onto the kitchen table.

"Oh, I see, well it looks like you made a new friend," Delia said as she walked towards the kitchen table and knelt down. "Hello, Pikachu, I'm Ash's mother it's nice to meet you." she greeted giving Pikachu a kind smile. Pikachu tilted his head to the side and stared curiously at Delia. She had a very kind and caring wave around her, the same one Pikachu had felt from Ash. The light blue glow coming from the woman was the same as well. He finally gave a smile back at Delia.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu replied, waving at Delia with one of its small arms.

"Aww, you're a sweetie, aren't you?" Delia said happily as she reached out to rub Pikachu's head. Delia began to rub his head and Pikachu definitely seemed to be enjoying it!

"Chaaaaa." Pikachu cooed under Delia's touch the light blue glow of Aura not dimming from around the woman's body.

"Hmm, you're so cute." Delia chuckled softly as she finished and pulled back. She stood and turned to face her son.

"Alright, Ash, I've already got your pack set out on the couch. I just want to go over it and make sure you have everything packed." Delia stated as she walked out of the kitchen into the living room, Ash and Pikachu following after her. Once Delia and Ash had gone over the contents of his pack she had one more thing to say. "Your father is going to see you off at the edge of town by Route One."

"Really? Dad is going to be there?" Ash asked having not expected his father to be able to make it today to see him off.

"Of course, sweetie, didn't you think he would be here to see his son start his own journey? You know he wouldn't miss it." Delia said with a giggle. Her husband had his moments of being a goof but was often serious and was a rather doting husband and father. His personality was one of the reason she'd married the man after all.

"Cool! I'll head out to meet him then!" Ash exclaimed in excitement. "Hear that Pikachu? You get to meet my dad too!"

"Pika!" Pikachu responded with cheer.

"Alright, sweetie, you go meet your father. I'm sure he'll have something to give you to start your journey." Delia said as she pulled Ash in for a hug. Ash hugged his mother back before pulling away and heading out the door with his pack on his back.

"I'll call you when I get to Viridian City, mom! I'll show you any Pokémon I catch then!" Ash called as he waved back at his mother while walking down the road towards Route One.

"I'll be waiting, sweetie!" Delia called back as she watched her son disappear over the hill at the end of the road. She was so proud of her little Guardian.

Ash continued his trek towards Route One, keeping an eye out for his father. He knew that his father often spent long periods of time in the wilderness to train with his Pokémon so there was no guarantee that he'd used the Route One path to get back to Pallet Town. Knowing his father the man might have walked right through the forest along the Silver Mountain Range that separated Kanto and Johto.

"Well now, I believe I've spotted a brand new Pokémon Trainer!" called a voice from off to the side of the path. Ash turned to look at the one who spoke with a grin on his face. Sitting on a large rock on the side of the path sat a large black-haired man, his long hair tied back into a wild ponytail with a red band. He was wearing a white martial arts gi with black studded wristbands and a black belt around his waist. This was Bruno Siba of the Elite Four.

"Hey Dad!" Ash called out happily at seeing his father in person for the first time in almost five months.

"Hey kiddo! How's my favorite son doing today?" Bruno asked with a laugh. Ash stopped running to stand before his father with a bright smile on his face.

"Dad, I'm your only son. At least you should hope so, imagine what mom would say otherwise!" Ash chuckled while Bruno's face paled slightly, his wife could be VERY scary when she wanted to be.

"Regardless my point remains that you're my favorite!" Bruno laughed as he pulled his son in for a one-armed hug. Ash happily returned the one-armed hug before separating.

"So you came to see me off?" Ash asked with a bright smile as Pikachu looked at Bruno from Ash's shoulder.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss your first day as a trainer for anything." Bruno replied with a grin. "Plus I wanted to give you something to start your journey with!" he finished as he pulled a Pokeball out of the rucksack that had been left next to the rock he'd been sitting on. "Go on, let him out. You'll definitely be surprised."

"Alright! Come one out!" Ash called as he opened the Pokeball. In a flash of white light a form emerged and took the shape of a bipedal blue and black Pokémon with jackal like features.

"Rio!" called out the Pokémon with a smile.

"No way! A Riolu! You're really giving me a Riolu?!" Ash questioned completely ecstatic at seeing the small Fighting Type Pokémon. Bruno laughed happily seeing his son's reaction to his gift.

"Of course, kiddo! My two Lucario had an egg and they were more than happy to let you be their son's trainer after he was old enough." Bruno replied seeing Riolu raise a paw and sense his son's Aura. Ash noticed what Riolu was doing and raised his own hand causing a light blue glow to envelop it. Trainer and Pokémon both began to sense one another's Aura. Riolu sensed a large amount of Aura from his new trainer and at least a small affinity for all eighteen Types. Riolu realized that his new trainer was an Aura Guardian and couldn't be happier. Ash sensed a good amount of Aura from Riolu, far higher than the average for most young Pokémon, and noticed that while most of Riolu's Aura was aligned with the Fighting Type it also had a decent alignment with Steel Type and Fire Type, which was surprising and led Ash to ask his father a question.

"Does Riolu already know Blaze Kick?" Ash asked as he lowered his hand and looked towards his father.

"Yep! I figured you'd be able to sense it. Riolu inherited that move from his father, it's an Egg Move. I also had his mother teach him how to use the move Bulk Up before I brought him to you. He'll definitely help you out during your journey. Plus you can help each other with Aura training; after all Pokémon will always be the true masters when it comes to Aura. Learning from them is a good practice for an Aura user." Bruno replied with a grin before offering a suggestion. "Why don't you scan both Pikachu and Riolu with your new Pokedex? You'll be able to find out all of their moves that way."

"Oh right, I almost forgot about that. Let's see…" Ash said as he took out his Pokedex and pointed it towards Pikachu, who had hopped down from Ash's shoulder to meet Riolu.

"Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon, It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks, if threatened, it lets loose electric charges from the sacs. When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity can build and cause lightning storms. This Pikachu is Male, Type Electric; known moves are Thundershock, Tail Whip, Growl and Volt Tackle." The Pokedex listed off in a robotic voice.

"That's cool! Pikachu you have an Egg Move!" Ash called out excitedly to his Starter.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied pumping a paw in the air.

"Can you use Volt Tackle, buddy?" Ash questioned only to see Pikachu shake its head in the negative.

"Hmm, I wonder why you can't?" Ash mused as he watched Riolu pat Pikachu on the back.

"I'm not an expert on Electric Types but my guess is that Pikachu's voltage and amperage aren't high enough yet to form the move." Bruno said as he leaned down to pat Pikachu's head.

"That makes sense; Electric Types do need to build up their electric capacity over time before they can learn more powerful moves." Ash mused before turning back to Pikachu. "Don't worry, buddy, we'll get you strong enough to use that move one day without a doubt!"

"PiPika!" Pikachu nodded happily.

"Alright, now it's Riolu's turn." Ash stated as he turned his Pokedex towards the Fighting Type.

"Riolu, the Emanation Pokémon, It can discern the physical and emotional states of people, Pokémon, and other natural things from the shape of their aura waves. It knows how people and Pokémon feel by looking at their auras. It doesn't approach dangerous opponents. This Riolu is Male, Type Fighting; known moves are Foresight, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick and Bulk Up." The Pokedex listed off in a robotic voice again.

"That's nice Riolu, with some battle experience and learning a good Fighting Type move you'll definitely be a terror at the Pewter City Gym." Ash remarked as Riolu let out a happy bark.

"Alright kiddo, before I send you off and head home to see your mother, I think it's time for another challenge." Bruno said with a grin causing Ash to sigh. His father always gave him either a physical or mental challenge when he was home. Bruno called it training his mind and body; Ash called it his dad being way to into training. Though he knew that his father often did the same types of tests with anyone that wanted to train under him as a student or apprentice; most applicants were turned away for giving up on the physical challenges or not being mentally sharp enough to answer Bruno's questions.

"Sure dad, mental or physical this time?" Ash asked while Pikachu and Riolu looked on curiously.

"A mental challenge this time, wouldn't want to exhaust you before you even started your journey!" Bruno laughed before asking his son the first question. "What is Aura?"

"Aura is the life force present in all living things. It is strongly linked to a beings emotions as well as its mental and physical health." Ash replied; he'd been having these lessons with Gary since they were five.

"Good. Next question, what is the difference between human Aura users and Pokémon?" Bruno questioned.

"While Pokémon can use the majority of the eighteen Types and can focus on both Physical attacks and Special attacks; humans are limited in that they are either aligned with Physical Aura or Special Aura. This is known as the Physical/Special Split to Aura users." Ash answered.

"What is the only known exception to the Physical/Special Split among Aura users?" Bruno continued his questioning.

"Those known as Aura Guardians, members of certain families that have an affinity to all eighteen Types; both Physical and Special." Ash stated.

"Name four Aura Guardian families and where they reside." Bruno asked with a grin proud of his son for remembering his lessons so well.

"The Shirona Family, they currently reside in Celestic Town in the Sinnoh Region. Their most notable member being Cynthia Shirona; the current Sinnoh League Champion. There is also the Gen Family; most of them reside in various villages and towns throughout the Sinnoh Region. The most notable being the Aura Guardian Riley, who achieved Full Guardian status at nineteen years of age. Then you have the Draconids of the Hoenn Region. They mostly keep to themselves and often focus on the Dragon Type while mixing other Types in as they age. They're known to revere the Sky Guardian Rayquaza as their patron Legendary Pokémon." Ash stopped for a moment to draw in a couple of breaths.

"You've got one more." Bruno smiled.

"The Ketchum Family, all currently in Pallet Town in Kanto, since it's just me and mom left. Last well known member was my great-grandfather who won the Indigo League and held the title of Champion for sixteen years before being defeated and retiring." Ash finished with a sigh. He was always saddened that his family had become so small; the other families had a few dozen members each. Both his father and mother had told him he could grow the family as much or as little as he wanted when he was old enough without pressure from them. Though the fact that Delia and Bruno were trying for another child was no secret to anyone who knew the Ketchum Family.

"Correct kiddo; though don't feel so down about our family. I've got the next six months off from work, barring any major emergency, so me and your mother might be able to get you a sibling soon!" Bruno finished with a laugh when he saw Ash's face turn shocked and a bit creeped out.

"Dad! I don't want to hear that! Ugh! I don't want that image in my head!" Ash complained while Bruno continued to chuckle at him.

"Alright, alright, I won't go into your mother and I's plans for my time off. But what are your plans until you get to Viridian City?" Bruno questioned his son.

"Probably stay on the path for a while just to get some distance; mom gave me enough prepared food to make a single meal a day for about five days. I could use that up and make two meals a day out of it if I make really good time through Route One." Ash started to explain.

"Yeah, it took me a week to get from Pallet to Viridian when I first started out. The Route was still full of cliffs and boulders back when I started." Bruno commented on his own experience with the path between the two locations.

"After I get some distance I'll probably head into the forest and find the river. Maybe I'll see a Water Type Pokémon I can catch, though it would be easier if I had a rod. I'm pretty sure it is mostly Magikarp and maybe a couple Poliwag in that river though." Ash mused.

"There are definitely Poliwag in that river. My Poliwrath evolved from the Poliwag I caught there. Though the rest are mostly Magikarp; any that evolve into Gyarados don't stay around for very long, there just isn't enough food for them to survive." Bruno nodded as he looked towards some of the plants around them and off to the side of the path.

"After that I'll probably get back on the path and make my way towards Viridian City. Stock up there on supplies and then head towards Viridian Forest and Pewter City." Ash finished with a nod at his plans.

"I see, that's not a bad plan kiddo. But let me help you out with your fishing dilemma." Bruno said with a grin as he walked off the path and towards the tree line. Bruno looked through some of the trees before finding what he was looking for, a stalk of bamboo that was a good thickness. With almost no effort Bruno snapped the stalk off near the base and started removing the leaves from the almost six foot stalk. Bruno reached into his rucksack and pulled out woven cordage before winding it around the thin end of the stalk and tightly securing it. He then took all of the remaining cordage that was hanging off the end and gently wound it around the length of the pole before tying it loosely so that it could be untied when Ash wanted to use it.

"Here you go, kiddo, and Old Style Rod. You probably won't catch too many Water Types with this before it snaps but you should be able to snag a Magikarp or a Poliwag with it." Bruno smiled as Ash took the makeshift rod from his dad and strapped it to the side of his pack.

"Thanks dad, I really appreciate it. This'll definitely come in handy for a while." Ash thanked his father before giving him a hug. Bruno smiled at his son before ruffling his cap covered head.

"Alright kiddo, you better get started, don't want to burn too much daylight on your first day as a trainer." Bruno advised as he picked up his rucksack and headed towards Pallet Town. "I can't wait to have some of your mom's cooking again! I wonder what she's making for lunch?" he queried while waving to his son as the two went their separate ways.

"Alright guys, we best get started. Riolu, return!" Ash said as he called Riolu back into his Pokeball and Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder. "We're heading out to be the best Pokémon Master and best Pokémon team ever! Right Pikachu?!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out as Ash started walking down Route One his journey finally beginning.

**-End Chapter-**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**So I hope you've all enjoyed the first chapter. Let me know what you thought with a review. How did you like what I did with Ash and his family? Are you interested in how I'm making Aura work? Let me know!**

**Until next time, later!**


	2. Fishing and a New Friend

**Hello Friends and Fans, Kairomaru is here with another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! Ash is going to make his way a little further on his journey and meet a certain red-haired Water-Type trainer. Will her bike survive the encounter or not?**

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**Thank you; Lu Bane Na, Frimorigo, Thomas E Nellis, Patrick Ayres, John Smith, Rinnosuke, Kaymann, Jacob Ward, Kyle Anderson, Evgeniy Kazanin, Michael Greene, Kimimaro Kaguya, Daniel Williams, CC100, Victor Garrett, Brody Meech, Benjamin, Paul Nichols, Alastor God of Vengeance, Mauday, Thomas B. Wilkes, Vito Saraceno, and Benjamin Shklyar.**

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**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

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**Chapter 2 – Fishing and a New Friend**

Ash and Pikachu had just left Pallet Town a couple of hours ago and started their journey on Route One. Both trainer and Pokémon were looking around the area and taking in the scenery as well as looking for potential new Pokémon team members for Ash to catch and add to their growing family. Ash had seen a few Pidgey and Rattata, but none of them had really stood out as a Pokémon that Ash wanted to catch and train. Supposedly, during certain times of the year, different Pokémon could be found on Route One including Oddish, Bellsprout, and Sentret when the Johto native rodents migrated every year. Finding the evolved forms of any Pokémon on Route One was unlikely as Raticate and Pidgeotto often left soon after evolving to seek more food and establish their own territory; and the seasonal Pokémon rarely evolved during their migrations.

All in all though the start of the journey had been going well enough, it was a nice day even though the clouds slowly gathering indicated rain later. Ash was confident he'd have at least a couple more hours of travel and searching time before he'd have to find shelter from the rain or set up his tarp as a makeshift shelter to stay dry. A shape moving through the tall grass caught Ash's attention and he motioned to it so that Pikachu could be ready to battle. A few moments later a Spearow emerged from the grass pecking at the ground for seeds and small bugs.

"Huh, that's odd, what's a Spearow doing here?" Ash mused to himself aloud. Spearow were usually only found in this part of Kanto around Route Twenty Two. Though the forest separating Route One and Route Twenty Two was the same forest, Pidgey and Spearow competed for many of the same insects, seeds and nuts and rarely intermingled. To find a lone Spearow on Route One was odd to say the least. The Spearow looked up when it noticed Ash and Pikachu and chirped aggressively before ignoring the Trainer and Pokémon and continuing its' search for food.

"What do you think Pikachu, should we try and catch it?" Ash questioned his starter as the Electric Type gazed at the Spearow.

"Pi Pika. Pika Chu Pika." Pikachu vocalized while shaking its' head no and pointing towards the tree line on the side of the road. Ash turned to where Pikachu was pointing to see at least three dozen Spearow in the grass or in the trees watching over each other as they all searched for food.

"Yeah, maybe just leave them be, right buddy?" Ash stated with a nervous chuckle as he carefully walked away from the Spearow flock. Catching a Spearow wasn't worth angering an entire flock; the species, including their evolved form of Fearow, were known to be aggressive when angered and many a trainer had been injured when they'd run afoul of the species. "How about we head towards the river in the forest and try out this Old Style Rod my dad made for me, buddy? Having a Water Type will only help at the Pewter City Gym." Ash questioned Pikachu as he pointed towards the bamboo rod strapped to the side of his pack.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed with a nod causing Ash to chuckle.

"Alright, to the river we go!" Ash stated smiling, changing his direction to enter the forest and the river that should only be a few minutes of walking away. The walk through the forest was pleasant, the sounds of nature were calming and the smell of the forest was pleasantly familiar to Ash and Pikachu. Within ten minutes the two could hear the sound of the gently flowing river and emerged from the trees to spot the river in question with a mostly flat shoreline covered in rocks and light grass on either side of the water. Looking up and down the river for a good fishing spot Ash noticed an orange-red haired girl in jean shorts and a yellow sleeveless shirt that showed her midriff, two suspenders went over the girl's shoulders to complete her outfit. Deciding to calmly announce himself to the girl Ash walked over to her making sure that his steps made a little more noise than usual on the rocky shoreline. The girl turning to face him when he was a few meters away let him know that his plan had worked.

"Hello, did you need something?" the girl asked quietly so as not to scare away any potential Water Type Pokémon that she could catch.

"No, I was just looking for a spot to fish and noticed you were already here. I was just making myself known so that I didn't startle you later." Ash replies with a short bow.

"Oh, thank you then. It would have been surprising to look up and suddenly see another person that wasn't there a minute ago." The girl said with a nod. "My name's Misty by the way, what's yours?"

"Ash Ketchum, I just started today and I thought I'd come over here to the river to try and catch a Water Type Pokémon." Ash answered her with a smile.

"That's a good idea. Water Types are super useful and the best Type in my opinion." Misty said with a smile of her own.

"So I take it you're a Water Type Specialist then?" Ash questioned as he found a large, mostly flat, rock to sit on just a couple meters from where Misty was sitting.

"Yep! I've always loved Water Pokémon, they're all so adorable! My dream is to catch as many species of Water Type Pokémon as I can and become a recognized Water Type Master." Misty gushed happily while telling Ash about her dream.

"That's a good dream, Misty. I'm sure you can do it with some hard work and determination." Ash nodded as he set down his pack and let Pikachu down off his shoulder to lay on the large rock next to him. Ash deftly unstrapped the rod his father had made for him and untied the end of the cord so he could unwind the rest of it and tie some bait onto the end.

"That's a nice Old Style Rod you've got there. I take it you're aiming to snag a Magikarp or a Poliwag?" Misty asked as she looked over the fishing rod Ash was working with.

"Poliwag preferably, Magikarp are good but they can be hard to train in the beginning and after they evolve they can be unruly and aggressive even towards their own Trainer." Ash stated as he opened his pack and looked through the premade meat jerky and packaged vegetables that his mom had packed for him, wondering which one would attract a Poliwag more.

"I'd go for the jerky if you're hoping for a Poliwag." Misty suddenly spoke up. Ash turned to look at her with both foodstuffs in his hands, a confused look on his face at her recommendation. "The Poliwag in this part of the river are fairly young, so they're looking for protein to grow larger. That's Tauros jerky, right? If so that'll be the kind of protein packed bait that a young Poliwag would snap up quickly." Misty explained causing Ash to look at her amazed at her knowledge.

"You're so smart, Misty! Thanks for the info!" Ash exclaimed as he put the packaged vegetables back into his pack and tore a piece of jerky off before tying it securely to the end of his cordage fishing line.

"Don't mention it, Ash." Misty replied with a grin as she turned back to watching her own line in the water. After tying the jerky onto the end of the line Ash gently cast out his line as far as he could. The cordage line was about six meters long not counting the amount that was tied onto the bamboo pole itself so Ash was hopeful that it would reach down to where the Poliwag were swimming. This river was known to be fairly shallow for about two and a half to three meters from the shoreline but quickly dropped off into almost ten meter deep water past that. This narrower space was another reason that newly evolved Gyarados often headed downstream towards the ocean soon after evolving.

"So what kind of rod is that?" Ash asked after casting his line into the river.

"This is a Good Rod; they're reliable and can handle larger and stronger Pokémon than Old Style Rods. Since Water Types can move through rivers and streams without much notice you can sometimes catch something unexpected while fishing. Right now I'm hoping for a Poliwag myself, but the chance for a Krabby or possibly a Poliwhirl is there when using this rod." Misty explained as she watched the surface of the water near her line.

"Huh, that's a good point, I wonder if there are any Krabby around here? I know most of them only stay in rivers while they're young and when they get bigger and closer to evolving they head towards the coast for more space and more food options." Ash mused as he tore off a piece of jerky and gave it to Pikachu. The Electric Type squeaked happily as it grasped the jerky and began gnawing on it. Ash then put the rest of the piece into his mouth and chewed it for a minute while watching his line. A pleasant silence between the two trainers ensued with only the sounds of the river heard, after a few more minutes of this Ash reached for another piece of jerky before glancing over at his fishing companion.

"Hey Misty, do you want a piece of jerky?" Ash asked as he held out a piece of the Tauros jerky to the girl.

"Sure, thanks for the food." Misty replied as she took the piece of jerky from Ash and popped it into her mouth. Ash also took another piece of jerky and started chewing it after seeing that Pikachu had wandered over to a bush with small blue Oran berries on it. Apparently his starter liked Oran berries as there were a few remains of already eaten berries at Pikachu's feet.

"Well guess Pikachu is having his lunch already." Ash chuckled to himself quietly before finishing his jerky and looking over at Misty out of the corner of his eye. She couldn't be much older than him and he was almost fifteen, so she might be fifteen or sixteen Ash thought to himself as he observed the girl. She was in good shape based off her toned stomach and strong looking legs. Those legs were also long and smooth causing Ash to blush faintly before moving his gaze upwards. Misty's jean shorts stopped just past mid-thigh and her top showed off the swell of her chest without giving a glimpse at her cleavage. If Gary were here Ash was pretty sure he'd confirm Ash's estimate of Misty's breasts being a B-Cup that would be a good handful each. 'Ah no! I can't let Gary corrupt me with his playboy ways!' Ash thought as he shook his head slightly and refocused back on his line in the water a blush prominent on his cheeks.

Another few minutes passed before Ash noticed his line moving against the river current. Just a few small tugs let Ash know that whatever was at the end of the line was examining the jerky bait and hadn't actually taken it yet. A slight gasp from Misty revealed her line also being messed with by an underwater Pokémon. Ash did his best to keep the fishing rod steady as the Pokémon below water continued to move his line around. Misty, showing much more experience, kept her fishing rod steady and her posture tense ready to jerk the Pokémon out of the water as soon as it took the bait.

"Ash, you pull your catch to the right and I'll pull mine to the left; that way we'll both have enough room to battle the Pokémon if we want to catch them, ok?" Misty quietly stated getting a nod from Ash. Pikachu noticing the small commotion came back over to Ash's side.

"Get ready buddy, we might have a battle on our hands." Ash said to Pikachu getting a nod from Pikachu as he dropped down to all fours and lightly sparked his cheeks.

With a sudden jerk Ash's line went taunt as the underwater Pokémon took the bait and tried to dive. With a strong pull Ash jerked the struggling Pokémon into the shallow waters closer to the shore. Among all the splashing and flailing Ash could make out a dark blue body and a white tail. Giving another strong jerk of the fishing rod had the Poliwag on the edge of the shore; the Tadpole Pokémon trying to get its' balance and stand up to face Ash and Pikachu. A quick glance over at Misty showed the Water Type trainer reeling in her own Poliwag; the other Tadpole Pokémon thrashing violently as it was pulled out of the water and onto dry land.

"All right Pikachu, let's catch Poliwag!" Ash called out as Pikachu cried out and jumped in front of Poliwag just as the Water Type got its' balance and stood up. "Let's try and take it down in one shot! Pikachu use Thundershock!" Ash called out. Pikachu sparked his cheeks before letting loose a bolt of electricity at the Poliwag shocking the Water Type and causing it to cry out. Ash quickly pulled out a Pokeball and waited for the right moment to throw the capture device. The Poliwag quickly turned back towards Pikachu before unleashing a Water Gun attack at the Electric Type. "Pikachu dodge and give it another Thundershock!" Ash commanded as Pikachu jumped to the side of the Water Gun and let another Thundershock fly at the Poliwag. The second Thundershock struck and sent Poliwag onto its' back in the shallows. Seeing his chance Ash enlarged the Pokeball before tossing it at the downed Poliwag. The Pokeball tapped the Poliwag before opening and sucking the Water Type inside, the Pokeball closed and began to shake as Poliwag struggled against the ball. After a few shakes the ball stopped moving and let out a sound that signified a successful capture. Ash stood in shock for a moment at his first successful capture before whooping in joy as he ran over to collect his Pokeball and the new friend inside.

"Alright, we caught a Poliwag!" Ash cheered as he held up Poliwag's Pokeball.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu called out happily as he cheered with his trainer. The duo quickly turned back to see if Misty had managed to capture her Poliwag yet.

"Come on out, Staryu!" Misty called out as she tossed a Pokeball between herself and the Poliwag in front of her. From the ball a white light emerged that took the form of a large brown Starfish Pokémon with a metallic looking center and a bright red jewel-like core. "Alright Staryu use Swift!" Misty ordered the Water Type. Staryu quickly unleashed a barrage of golden star-shaped bolts of energy at the Poliwag each striking with perfect accuracy. The Poliwag fired back a Water Gun of its' own trying to fight back. "Use Rapid Spin to dodge, Staryu!" Misty called out and in only a second the Starfish Pokémon was rotating at high-speeds and moving away from the incoming attack. "Finish it with Psywave!" Misty said as she prepared to end the battle. From the jewel-like core of Staryu a bright multi-colored wave of light emerged and struck Poliwag sending the Water Type reeling. Misty quickly took out a Pokeball and with a deft flick had it enlarged and thrown at the downed Poliwag. With a tap the Poliwag was caught and a short struggle later the Pokeball chimed a successful capture.

"Way to go Misty!" Ash cheered as Misty went to collect her new Pokémon, the girl smiling happily at the cheering as she walked back towards Ash with Pokeball in hand.

"Thanks Ash, it wasn't anything special though." Misty said with a hint of pride as she puffed out her chest at the praise. This movement had the effect of drawing Ash's eyes to the girl's chest before he forced himself to look away so that he wouldn't have to explain why he was blushing to Misty.

"Well I'm going to let Poliwag out to treat it and scan it with my Pokedex." Ash said as he tapped the button on Poliwag's Pokeball letting his new Water Type out. In a flash of white light Ash's Poliwag materialized still looking worse for wear. "Hey there Poliwag, I'm Ash and if you'll let me I'd like to be your Trainer from now on. I'd like to start by healing you up from your injuries if you'd like." Ash soothed the Water Type as Poliwag eyed him tiredly. With a nod of acceptance Poliwag sat down in front of Ash and let him start to help it recover.

"He's so kind to his Pokémon, its sweet." Misty said to herself as she walked towards the trio of Ash, Pikachu, and Poliwag.

"Ok Poliwag, this might sting just a bit but you'll feel better right after." Ash warned the Pokémon as he took out a Potion and sprayed it on his Poliwag's injuries. Poliwag flinched from the slight sting before the injuries began to slowly heal up and disappear from the Tadpole Pokémon's body. "Have some of these too, they'll help you recover." Ash said as he plucked some Oran berries off the nearby bush and placed them in front of Poliwag. The Water Type happily used its' tail to bring the berries to it's' mouth and eat them one by one while Ash took out his Pokedex and scanned his new Pokémon.

"Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokémon, its newly grown legs prevent it from walking well. It appears to prefer swimming over walking. Its slick skin is thin and damp. A part of its internal organs can be seen through the skin as a spiral pattern. This Poliwag is Male, Type Water; known moves are Water Gun and Watersport." The Pokedex's robotic voice listed off Poliwag's information.

"That's pretty handy, Ash, what else can it do?" Misty asked curiously. To her knowledge the first Pokedex was made by Professor Oak almost twenty five years ago. Now days the Pokedex project was an international scientific research project and about a dozen new trainers a year per region were given a Pokedex to assist with data collection. Each of the dozen trainers were always picked by Pokémon Professors that were licensed to give out Starter Pokémon as well so only a few trainers a year got to own the rather useful item.

"It can also tell you a Pokémon's Ability. I discovered that about an hour after I first scanned my Pokémon. Pikachu's Ability is Static and my Riolu's Ability is Inner Focus." Ash replied as he hit a button on his Pokedex changing it to Ability Identifier mode. "Let's check Poliwag's Ability." A quick scan and the Pokedex began to speak again.

"This Poliwag's Ability is Water Absorb. This Ability allows Poliwag to heal when soaked in water making Water Type moves ineffective against this Pokémon." The Pokedex stated.

"That's cool; do you think you can scan my Poliwag for moves and Ability?" Misty asked hopefully.

"Not if it's out of its' Pokeball. The Pokedex is programmed not to scan the moves and Abilities of other Trainer's Pokémon. It's to prevent things like cheating by knowing an opponent's moves and Ability ahead of time." Ash stated before holding out his hand. "But I can scan it if I put the Pokeball directly in front of the scanner."

"Thanks Ash, this will be a big help to start out Poliwag's training." Misty thanked him as she let Ash scan her Poliwag's Pokeball.

"This Poliwag is Female and knows the moves Water Gun, Watersport, and Hypnosis." The Pokedex informed. A quick button press and another scan gave the Ability information. "This Poliwag's Ability is Water Absorb."

"Huh, I guess your Poliwag is a bit older than mine. She knows Hypnosis already, but we'll catch up soon right Poliwag?" Ash asked his new Water Type getting a noise of confirmation from the eating Tadpole Pokémon.

"I know my Staryu has the Ability Natural Cure and the moves Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, and Swift. But that's because you can find out that information at the Pokémon Center." Misty said as she pet her Staryu.

"Wow six moves, you must've had Staryu for a while. Most wild Pokémon only know three or four moves except on rare occasions." Ash replied while recalling his now recovered Poliwag. "So what now, do you plan to keep fishing here or are you heading out?"

"I'm going to head to Viridian on my bike, if I leave now I'll be able to get there before those clouds turn into rain." Misty replied as she pointed to a bike leaned up against a tree a few meters down from where they had been fishing. Ash looked up at the sky noticing that the clouds had gathered while they'd been fishing and they probably only had an hour or two at most before the rain would begin. With a bike Misty had a good chance of getting to Viridian before the rain hit.

"Alright then, it was great meeting you Misty. Have a safe trip to Viridian City." Ash said as he gave the girl a short bow.

"Thanks Ash, it was nice meeting you too." Misty replied with a smile as she returned her Staryu and started walking towards her bike. A large splash of water and a terrifying roar stopped both Trainers in their tracks before they could part ways. Turning back towards the river and the source of the noise both Trainers saw a Gyarados roaring from within the river while glaring at them. With a motion of its' massive serpentine body the Gyarados quickly whipped up a fearsome gale of wind that began to form into a spiraling tower in front of the large Water/Flying Type Pokémon.

"Oh man, that's a Twister attack!" Ash yelled as he quickly grabbed Misty's hand and ran for cover behind the trees with her and Pikachu. Gyarados unleashed the Twister attack shortly after the trio had found cover amongst the trees of the forest; the wild column of wind and Dragon Type aura throwing around everything in its path before tearing apart dozens of branches from the trees.

"Hold on tight!" Misty yelled as she, Ash, and Pikachu were gripping on to a strong tree while the vicious wind ripped through the forest around them. After a few moments the attack dispersed and the trio was able to loosen their grip on the old tree.

"You think it's gone?" Ash whispered to Misty as they tried to be as quiet as possible.

"I don't know. Without knowing what set Gyarados off we can't be sure that we're its intended targets or if it's just lashing out at everything." Misty replied back quietly.

"I'll peek out and check." Ash volunteered as he and Pikachu slowly poked their heads out from behind the tree and scanned the area. Not seeing the Gyarados in the immediate area the two turned to Misty and shook their heads. Misty sighed before the trio walked out of the forest and back to where they started to observe the area.

"Oh no, my bike!" Misty cried out in shock at the sight of her mangled bicycle. It looked as if the bike had been hit by the Twister attack and thrown against the trees at high speed on top of that. "What am I going to do now?" she lamented as she looked over the wreck of aluminum and steel.

"Sorry about your bike Misty, I'll stay with you until we get to Viridian if it'll make you feel better." Ash offered with Pikachu nodding on his shoulder.

"Thanks Ash, but are you sure, you don't have somewhere else to be do you?" Misty questioned not wanting to keep Ash from being somewhere else he might need to be. Suddenly the Gyarados from before broke through the surface of the river with a deafening roar and leered down at the Trainers.

"Watch out!" Ash yelled as he put himself between the Gyarados and Misty. "Pikachu hit it with Thundershock and I'll try and scare it away!" Ash called out getting Pikachu to jump off his shoulder and let loose a Thundershock at the Gyarados.

"Ash don't be crazy! How are you going to scare a Gyarados? We should escape!" Misty called out from behind him a slight chill of cool air hitting Ash's back for some unknown reason.

"Don't worry Misty! I've got a plan!" Ash yelled back over the roar of pain Gyarados let out as it was hit with the four times effective Electric Type attack. Ash gathered up his aura and enhanced his lungs and vocal chords for the technique he was about to perform. As soon as Pikachu's attack ended Ash opened his mouth and let out what could only be described as a Roar! "Graaaahhhh!" Almost visible waves of sound travelled across the area sending Pidgey flying from the trees and causing nearby Rattata to scurry away in terror. The Gyarados, still trying to get over the effects of getting hit with Pikachu's Thundershock, stiffened up at the loud sound as it's' brain registered danger and it quickly dove back into the river and began rapidly swimming downstream towards the ocean.

"Ash?" Misty mumbled in shock at what her new friend had just done.

"Yeah, I should probably explain, huh?" Ash asked as he turned towards Misty while rubbing the back of his head. It wasn't until he looked at Misty that he realized where the slight chill in the air had come from; for surrounding Misty's hands was a dense pure white mist, perfectly imitating the Mist technique used by Ice Type Pokémon. "Misty?" he questioned as he became slightly shocked too.

"You can use Aura!" both Trainers exclaimed at the same time as they pointed at each other, the mist around Misty's hands dispersing as her arm moved.

"Well, I mean, yeah. I'm from the Ketchum Family we can all use Aura, we're born with it active." Ash explained as he stared at his new friend. "How do you know about it?"

"My…parents…they taught me and my sisters before they…passed." Misty replied sadness creeping into her voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry or bring up bad memories." Ash apologized as he raised his hands in a placating gesture.

"No…it's okay. It's been a few years now. Just thinking about it gets to me sometimes." Misty responded as she looked back at Ash with a lopsided smile.

"If I may ask, what's your last name Misty?" Ash questioned his new friend gently not wanting to upset the girl again.

"Heh, figured you'd ask that next." Misty chuckled lightly. "It's Waterflower, Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City."

"Yeah, that would explain it. You're from a Gym Leader family." Ash smiled at her gently. Among the few people in the world that still practiced Aura, Gym Leaders and sometimes their families were among the most common. It was actually a requirement to be either adept at Aura use or a full-fledged Master before becoming a Gym Leader in any Region affiliated with the International Pokémon League. Only Aura Masters were ever permitted to join the Elite Four or become Champion of a Region as well. Mostly because the defense of a Region from criminals, violent wild Pokémon, or even Legendary Pokémon incidents were dealt with by Gym Leaders in their own towns and cities and the Elite Four and Champion if the Region itself was threatened.

The actual military of a Region was only used for full-scale war, defense against invasion by hostile powers, or if a situation had gotten so bad that military force was needed to resolve it. Thankfully the world hadn't had a war in the last couple decades, most of the Regions preferring peace as long as they could maintain it.

Most Trainers didn't use or even know about Aura and this was what gave those that had put in the blood, sweat, and tears to learn and master the power the advantage in Pokémon Battles. Aura gave a Trainer better insight into the battles between Pokémon, from timing to reading the battle field; an Aura user would have a much better grasp of the entirety of the battle as compared to a normal Trainer. This was why most Trainers that actually beat a League Tournament and gained the right to challenge the Elite Four often failed to defeat any of them.

"So was that a Roar technique you just used?" Misty questioned as the two moved past the awkwardness of Misty's parental situation.

"Yeah, it probably only worked because Gyarados was already in pain, but it sends most of the weaker Pokémon running for the hills." Ash chuckled as Pikachu hopped up onto his shoulder.

"Still I was going to use the Mist technique to cover the area and have us escape while Gyarados couldn't see us." Misty sighed as she looked back at her destroyed bike. "I was planning on being back in Viridian before the rain hit, but without my bike I won't be able to make it back before nightfall much less before it starts raining. I only brought my rucksack because I wasn't planning on doing any camping, I don't even have a sleeping bag for the night."

"Well I have a tarp and a one person tent. We can use those to camp out tonight and head out first thing in the morning." Ash suggested as he pulled the mentioned items from his large pack.

"You mean share a one person tent? Wouldn't that mean we'd have to be pressed up against each other?" Misty asked nervously. She wasn't the type of girl to just sleep next to some guy she just met even if he was nice enough.

"What? No, no, I meant I'd let you have the tent for the night and I'd set up the tarp over it and sleep under it to keep dry. As long as it doesn't start raining sideways for some reason I should be fine with just my cold weather coat as a blanket." Ash responded nervously, he didn't want Misty to think he was _**that**_ kind of guy.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be uncomfortable or anything." Misty said touched by how much Ash was willing to do so that she would be comfortable for the night.

"Yeah it's fine, you've lost your bike and weren't expecting to camp out, so helping out seems like the right thing to do." Ash stated with a grin as he found a clear spot in the forest a little way away from the river and unstrapped the single person tent. The tent did exactly what it was designed for and popped up almost completely by itself, all Ash had to do was take the set of stakes that came with it and drive them into the ground in the designated areas built into the tent itself to keep it from moving. After that he handed his rolled up sleeping bag to Misty and motioned for her to set herself up inside the tent. Misty had done so after a heartfelt thank you to Ash.

With the tent set up and Misty getting herself situated for sleeping later that night; Ash went about unfolding his tarp and setting it up with some of the long branches the Gyarados had broken from the trees with its' Twister attack. The tarp covered a fairly large square footage because it was rather thin, the amount of space would more than cover the small one person tent with room left for Ash to stay dry as well. Thankfully the tarp, even though thin, was completely waterproof and could hold up even under a heavy rain as long as the wind didn't pick up much.

After getting the tent and tarp set up Ash estimated they had only about an hour to get some food cooked up before it started raining so he asked Misty to gather some firewood while he got out some packaged vegetables, a kit with some basic seasonings in it, most importantly salt and pepper, and a package of dried noodles that came with a package of bouillon powder for flavoring. He'd once seen his father improvise a dish like this on a camping trip they'd taken together and it was a fairly simple meal that would still be filling. A few minutes later Misty came back with an armload of firewood and Ash asked her to fill up his largest pot, a mere ten inches across but about five inches deep, with water so they could filter and boil it for cooking up their dinner. It was a short time later that a bubbling pot of flavored noodles and vegetables was simmering over their campfire. Ash quickly dished out a portion for Misty in his only bowl while he ate out of a smaller pot from the set his mother had gotten for him.

"Ash, this is actually pretty good." Misty said with some surprise as she ate from her bowl.

"Thanks, I once saw my dad make something similar on a camping trip so I was pretty sure I could recreate it." Ash replied with a smile. By this time the clouds had covered the sky completely and it looked like the rain would start any second. "Well we've at least had dinner even if it is a few hours early. Now just got to feed our Pokémon and we'll be good to sleep through the rain."

With that Ash and Misty released their Pokémon for dinner. Pikachu, Riolu, Staryu, Starmie, Goldeen, and two Poliwags were soon getting their fill of local berries as well as finishing off what remained of the noodle soup. After everyone had eaten Ash and Misty returned their Pokémon, excluding Pikachu, back to their individual Pokeballs and set about putting out the fire and quickly cleaning the dishes. The two had just finished putting the last of the dishes away when the first drops of rain hit the tarp above them.

"Thanks for everything Ash; I really appreciate all of this." Misty thanked him again as she entered the tent.

"No problem Misty, I've got my big pack to sleep on and my cold weather jacket for a blanket I'll be fine for a night as warm as this one. The pack might need to be rearranged for more comfort as an impromptu mattress but I'll take care of that." Ash replied as he pulled his cold weather jacket out of his pack and started getting his pack organized to be a makeshift mattress.

"Good night, Ash." Misty said with a nod as she closed the tent and zipped it up.

"Night Misty, sleep tight." Ash replied as he got his pack set up and he laid on it with Pikachu jumping up onto his chest to sleep as Ash draped the large fluffy jacket over the both of them. No one in the camp knew that the next morning in the rays of the sun a Legendary Pokémon would be seen by Ash Ketchum for the first time.

**-End Chapter-**

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**So how was it? Good? Bad? Let me know with reviews! **

**So Ash and Misty both caught a Poliwag! Wonder which evolutionary route they'll go down? **

**Not to mention we got to see Aura being used in a real scenario in the wild. Did you enjoy the Aura use? Were you surprised Misty could use Aura? **

**Did you notice that I'm not skimping on the daily necessities involved with what is essentially backpacking across the Region? I always felt that the show could have shown at least a few more scenes involving what it takes to be a travelling Pokémon Trainer, like camping and proper preparedness for the realities of travelling the wilds for days on end before reaching another town or city.**

**Anyway I hope you've enjoyed the chapter! Until next time, later!**


	3. Legendary Morning, Viridian Night

**Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with another chapter of Aura Heart Journey. This chapter Ash sees his first Legendary Pokémon and he and Misty make it to Viridian City.**

**As always Patrons get all chapters a month early and all one-shots are Pat re on exclusive.**

**If you're not a Patron please thank the ones who helped make this possible.**

**Thank you; Lu Bane Na, Frimorigo, Thomas E Nellis, Patrick Ayres, John Smith, Rinnosuke, Kaymann, Jacob Ward, Kyle Anderson, Evgeniy Kazanin, Michael Greene, Daniel Williams, CC100, Victor Garrett, Brody Meech, Benjamin, Paul Nichols, Alastor God of Vengeance, Mauday, Thomas B. Wilkes, Vito Saraceno, Ct126371, Benjamin Shklyar, and Alagasse.**

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**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Chapter 3 – Legendary Morning, Viridian Night**

Ash groaned slightly as he was awoken by the rays of sunlight hitting his face. With a grumble he turned his head away from the light before opening his eyes. Blinking away the sleep, Ash gazed at his surroundings before realizing that it was morning. Feeling Pikachu's weight on his chest Ash pulled back the cold weather coat he'd been using as a blanket.

"Pikachu, its morning buddy, we should get up and start the day." Ash said as he gently stroked Pikachu behind the ears.

"Chaaa." Pikachu cooed as he opened his eyes and slowly got down off of Ash's chest and onto the ground.

"Hmmm," Ash groaned as he stood up and stretched. "What should we do about breakfast?" Pikachu walked out from under the tarp and started sniffing around the bushes looking for more berries. "Well, guess that takes care of your breakfast. What should me and Misty have though?" Pikachu's only response was to give a small shrug as he picked a berry off the bush he was sniffing. The Electric Type quickly set about filling his stomach. "Hmm, maybe there are some ingredients we can forage around here?" Ash wondered as he looked up towards the trees. Only he quickly forgot about food when his eyes caught sight of a large, majestic, rainbow-colored bird flying through the morning sky.

"Amazing," Ash mumbled as he watched the Pokémon flying. "What Pokémon is that?" He quickly rushed back to his pack and got out his Pokedex. Quickly getting back to where he could see the Pokémon, Ash used his Pokedex to zoom in on the large bird. Hitting the scan button the Pokedex started recording the image of the Pokémon into video while giving out information.

"Pokémon not confirmed, searching database for best potential match. Searching…data found. Best match is the Legendary Pokémon Ho-oh." The Pokedex stated before giving off what information it had on the Legendary Pokémon. "Ho-oh, the Rainbow Pokémon, a legend says that its body glows in seven colors. A rainbow is said to form behind it when it flies. Ho-oh's feathers glow in seven colors. Scientists theorize the color seen depends on the angle at which a feather is struck by light. These feathers are said to bring happiness to the bearers."

"Ho-oh…no way." Ash mumbled to himself watching the Legendary Pokémon until it flew pass the tree line and disappeared from view.

"Recording complete, transmitting video data to Professor Oak's lab." The Pokedex intoned as it sent a copy of the video file to the professor.

"Oh, well that's convenient. The professor is probably going to be shocked." Ash muttered already picturing Oak's excitement at getting Ho-oh footage. He'd more than likely be calling up every other Pokémon Professor in Kanto and Johto to share the new data.

"Ash? What's the commotion?" Misty asked as she unzipped the tent and stepped out.

"You won't believe it unless I show you Misty. Get a look at this video." Ash replied as Misty walked up to him and looked at his Pokedex. After watching the video of Ho-oh, Misty was definitely shocked but asked Ash why he hadn't woken her up to see Ho-oh as well.

"Sorry Misty, I was a bit too shocked to do anything but stand there and watch." Ash admitted sheepishly.

"Well its fine I guess. I'd have been too busy staring at a Legendary to do much else either." Misty admitted with grin. "Wish I could wash up a bit before breakfast. But I don't have any clothes to change into since I wasn't planning to camp out last night."

"Well it wouldn't be as good as a shower, but we can filter and boil up some river water to wash up with. I have some bar soap and washcloths to clean ourselves up with." Ash offered as he went over to his pack. He pulled out his large pot, his water filtering tube, a new box with a bar of soap in it and two white washcloths.

"What don't you have in that pack of yours?" Misty asked with a smile towards her new friend as she took the large pot from him.

"A TV, gourmet food, portable power supply, an oven, a cooler, a toilet, should I keep going?" Ash replied with a grin as he pulled out two black bath towels to dry off with.

"Smart ass." Misty chuckled as she took the large pot towards the river to fetch some water. While he waited for Misty to get back with the water Ash took the left over firewood from last night and got a fire going with his flint striker. Misty returned shortly after with a pot full of water and Ash held the filtration tube steady while Misty poured the water into it. A few minutes later and Ash's two smaller pots were filled with filtered water. Placing both pots over the fire the two trainers started talking to pass the time until the water boiled. Then they would be sure it was purified and safe to wash with as well as drink and cook with.

"So what are you training Pokémon for Ash? What's your dream?" Misty asked as she looked through her rucksack and pulled out her canteen.

"I want to be a Pokémon Master. A Master of multiple Types and a World Level Battler, I know it'll be hard and I'll have to defeat untold numbers of Elite Level Trainers to make it happen. But it's been my dream since I was a kid." Ash smiled as he thought back on the time he'd first told his father that he wanted to be even better than him. Bruno had taken it in stride laughing joyfully and helped his son train and study.

"That's a good dream Ash. But that'll be even harder than my dream of becoming a Water Type Master." Misty replied before taking a drink from her canteen.

"I know, heck I just started so I'm still a Beginner Level Trainer. It'll be a while before I'm anywhere close to achieving my dream." Ash replied as he checked to see if the water had started boiling yet. Seeing that it hadn't Ash asked Misty a question. "So what level are you at, Misty?"

"Well I've been a Licensed Trainer for about nine months and I've taken part in a lot of battles. I've even joined a couple of small competitions and tournaments. So I've ranked up twice and am classified as an Adept Level Trainer." Misty replied smiling at Ash's impressed look.

"That means you have a high win ratio in normal battles and you've had to have won at least three of those competitions or tournaments, right?" Ash questioned the redhead.

"Yep, I won the Cerulean Junior Cup just before leaving Cerulean City. I've also won the Azure Town Battle Competition and Copper Town's annual Founding Tournament. I've lost my fair share of competitions as well. There are all kinds of Trainers in the world. I lost the Vermillion City Rising Star Tournament early on to one of Lt. Surge's apprentices. Say what you want about him, but Lt. Surge knows how to apply his military training to teaching his Gym Trainers. I didn't last ten minutes in that battle." Misty explained to Ash who sat enraptured by her tale.

"That's still pretty impressive. If I remember right Copper Town has the Metal Badge and Azure Town has the Breeze Badge." Ash stated since he was considering going for those two badges.

"Yeah, the Gym Leader of Copper Town is the one that presides over the town's Founding Tournament. He was a pretty jovial guy." Misty replied before throwing out her own question. "So what Level are you hoping to get to by the time the Indigo League Conference starts?"

"Hmm, well I'm a Beginner Level now of course, but earning a Badge gets you an automatic rank up to Rookie Level. From there is Adept Level like you. Then Advanced Level, followed by Ace Level, most Coordinators rank somewhere within the three A's during their career so I'm hoping to check out a Contest or two to see some of them in action." Ash said with a grin at the thought of seeing unique Coordinator-created battle styles.

"Makes sense, you never know what kind of amazing things a Coordinator will come up with. Though the focus they put on control, technique, beauty, and flashiness does usually limit their Levels." Misty nodded though one of her idols as a Water Pokémon Master, Wallace of Sootopolis City, was both an Elite Level Trainer and a renowned Contest Master.

"True, only a handful of coordinators rise above Ace Level. Expert Level comes after that and that's the wall for most trainers during their career. But I want to go even further and reach not only the Elite Level but the highest level of all, World Level." Ash stated with passion. Misty could practically see the fire in his eyes when he said it.

"That'll be a long and difficult road Ash, but if you keep up that determination and conviction I'm seeing now. Well, I think you just might have what it takes." Misty smiled as Ash beamed at her for believing in his dream.

"Thanks Misty, that means a lot." Ash said happily.

"No problem but are you planning to challenge every Gym in the Kanto Region to raise your Level before the Indigo League?" Misty questioned curiously.

"Probably not every Gym, but I definitely want to earn the badges of the current Top Eight Gyms in Kanto. Pewter City is seventh this year, Cerulean City is eighth," Misty let out a small sigh at that statement. "Celadon City is sixth, Vermilion City is fifth, Fuchsia City is fourth, Cinnabar Island is third, Saffron City is second and Viridian City is first." Ash stated from memory. "Getting a few badges from the other ten gyms will help with my Level but it'll mainly be great training for my team."

"That's not a bad idea. There are eighteen gyms in every Region affiliated with the International Pokémon League, one for every Type. If you're looking to get your Pokémon ready for a League Conference training against Gym leaders is probably one of the best ways." Misty nodded.

"Yeah I thought so too. Hopefully with more than the required eight badges needed to enter the Conference I'll be at Advanced Level or Ace Level by the time it starts." Ash stated before noticing that the water was boiling and pulling the pots away from the fire. "So what should we do for breakfast? Any ideas?"

"Hmm, do you think there are any Pidgey nests around here?" Misty asked. "I could go for some scrambled eggs since I know you have a spice kit with salt and pepper."

"Probably, since my Roar scared them off yesterday. Any Pidgey that haven't come back to their nest yet will have only the non-fertilized eggs that the females lay every other day or so left in them." Ash reasoned as he started looking for nests in the trees surrounding their camp.

"That makes sense. Most Pidgey can't lay viable eggs anyway. They're too small until they get older and are close to evolving. Pidgeotto and Pidgeot can lay viable eggs that produce new Pidgey easily though." Misty commented as she looked around for nests as well. The common Pidgey egg was about seven and a half to eight centimeters in length and wasn't capable of sustaining a developing Pokémon life. In comparison a Pidgeotto that laid an egg would produce and egg double that size from which a small Pidgey would hatch. After a couple months in the nest the hatchling would be around twenty five centimeters tall and capable of taking care of itself.

It only took about ten minutes to find a nest with a few eggs in it. Ash gently handed them down to Misty from the tree he'd climbed to get them. There were four eggs in total so both trainers were happy that breakfast would be decent before they headed for Viridian City. Getting back to the fire Misty checked the water temperature in the pots. Finding them pleasantly warm she asked Ash if he minded her washing up in the tent.

"I'd rather not get the inside of the tent wet." Ash replied as he got out his skillet and spice kit.

"Ok, but I hope you aren't expecting me to wash up in front of you mister." Misty stated with a smirk. "You're a good guy from what I've seen but that doesn't mean you get to see me topless."

"Misty!" Ash choked out as he almost dropped the skillet. His face was getting hot and he just knew he was blushing.

"Hahaha! Your face is priceless right now!" Misty laughed at Ash's blushing face.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up." Ash grumbled before setting the skillet over the fire and cracking the four eggs into it. Adding salt, pepper and a dash of dried parsley to the eggs before whipping them up into scrambled. "Can you take care of the eggs for a minute? I'll set up the tarp to be a temporary private wash room."

"Sure thing, Ash." Misty complied as she switched with Ash and started tending the eggs. Ash quickly took down the tarp and then used the poles to form the corners of a small square. Pulling out some cordage from his pack Ash tied the tarp to the first pole. He then wrapped it around the other three to make a small empty space in the middle. Securing the tarp to the other three poles made an enclosed area where Misty could wash up in private.

"Done and done." Ash said with a satisfied nod. He quickly went back over to Misty and let her know she could wash up while he finished the eggs.

"Thanks Ash, I meant what I said earlier you know, you're a good guy." Misty smiled happily taking one of the small pots of warm water with her into the tarp room. With the bar soap, washcloth and towel Ash lent her Misty was happy to be able to wash up at least a bit before eating.

Setting the pot down Misty knelt down beside it and pulled her suspenders off of her shoulders. After they were out of the way she pulled off her yellow midriff bearing shirt. Her breasts bounced from the motion since she had taken off her bra before sleeping last night and hadn't put it back on yet. Putting the washcloth in the warm water Misty gently wiped her face off before taking the soap and lathering it up. With a decent lather produced she washed her face before using the wet cloth to wash off the soap. Dunking the cloth back in the warm water to rinse off some of the soap she moved on to her torso and arms. Misty lightly scrubbed her chest, stomach, arms and underarms. Lathering up the soap again she carefully cleaned herself making sure to get every area she could reach as clean as possible. Another dunking of the washcloth and she was washing the soap from her skin. Wringing out the washcloth to get rid of used water she dunked it once more before finishing the removal of soap from her skin.

"Ahh, much better. Nothing beats feeling clean when travelling in the wilderness." Misty sighed happily as she used the towel to dry herself off. Once she was dry she put her yellow shirt back on and pulled her suspenders up onto her shoulders again. Emerging from the tarp room with her borrowed toiletries she spotted Ash dishing out the eggs into his one bowl and onto his one plate.

"Breakfast is ready." Ash turned to her with a smile as he pulled out a large piece of jerky from his bag. He quickly tore it into halves and placed one on the plate and one inside the bowl.

"Thanks for the food." Misty said gratefully as she sat next to Ash and took the plate he offered her. As the two ate in companionable quiet they both enjoyed the meal and each other's company.

"Alright I'm going to get started on breaking down camp. Do you think you can get the Pokémon their breakfast while I'm doing that?" Ash asked as he stood up and set his finished bowl down.

"No problem. I'll get our canteens filled up and wash the skillet, plate, bowl, and spoons while I'm at it. It's the least I can do for how much you've done for me." Misty replied as she took Ash's two Pokeballs and her four Pokeballs and released the Pokémon. While Misty was getting the Pokémon berries and helping her Goldeen into the river so she could forage for water plants to eat. Ash rolled up the sleeping bag he'd lent Misty last night. Took down the tent and strapped it back up so that it wouldn't spring open again. Stuffing the two items into his bag Ash quickly took the newly washed cookware from Misty and placed them back into his pack. After getting his spice kit back into the pack he quickly took down the tarp room and folded the tarp up. It was only after doing this he noticed the still semi-warm pot of water on the ground.

"Right, I almost forgot that I haven't washed up yet." Ash sighed to himself at his own mistake. His excitement to continue his journey had led to him almost forgetting to wash himself. "Well nothing for it then. Guess I'll just have to make do and wash quickly."

Ash quickly stuffed the folded tarp back into his pack before taking his washcloth and bar soap and putting both in the semi-warm water. He took off his cap and set it aside before removing his t-shirt and throwing it beside his pack. Now bare chested Ash took the washcloth to his face, chest, stomach, arms and underarms. Lathering up the soap Ash washed himself thoroughly making sure to get the sweat and grime off as much as possible. Unbeknownst to Ash he had an audience in the form of Misty. Turning around from recalling the Pokémon back into their Pokeballs and seeing a shirtless Ash with water dripping down his body wasn't what she'd expected this morning. Not that she was complaining or anything. Having a father like Bruno guaranteed that you'd get in shape, whether you wanted to or not. So Ash was in good shape with toned muscles, not overly bulky but definitely noticeable. Which Misty was currently reaping the visual benefits of.

"So he's in good shape. That's not that big of a deal Misty, get a hold of yourself girl." Misty whispered to herself as she turned away from Ash to hide her blush. Ash rinsed the soap off his body with the washcloth before wringing it out and drying off with his towel. After storing the used towels and washcloths in a plastic bag and putting the bar soap back in its box, Ash put the items back into their place in his pack. Turning around to ask Misty if she was ready to go, Ash saw her turned away from him and quickly called out to her.

"Ready to go Misty?" Ash asked as he placed his pack on his back and let Pikachu jump onto his shoulder.

"Yeah sure, let's head out." Misty called as she grabbed her own rucksack and slung it over her shoulder. She quickly caught up to Ash and the two trainers made their way back to the main path of Route One. Casual conversation resumed as the two new friends got to know each other better. A quick bathroom break for both of them during the walk was their first interruption of the day. Though having Ash able to stand look-out while she took care of business was nice. Misty had to admit the ease of going to the bathroom that guys had made her just a small bit envious. Just find a secluded tree and whip it out, finish up, and you're back on the road. Regardless having a travelling companion was turning out to be very nice for the red-haired teen.

The next and last interruption on their trip to Viridian City was another Trainer challenging Ash to a battle. The other Trainer couldn't be more than a few weeks into his own journey and wanted to battle to test his team. A two vs two battle was quickly decided and agreed upon with Misty acting as the referee. The other Trainer sent out his Pokémon first.

"Let's go Rattata!" the other boy called out releasing the purple rat Pokémon onto their impromptu battlefield.

"Riolu, I choose you!" Ash exclaimed the excitement of his first Trainer battle getting to him.

"Rattata hit it with Quick Attack!" the Trainer called out. Rattata blitzed forward towards Riolu with a streak of white light behind it.

"Use Quick Attack to dodge, then Bulk Up!" Ash called getting Riolu to move out of the way with his own streak of white light trailing behind him. A reddish-orange glow surrounded Riolu as he tensed his muscles raising his Attack and Defense with Bulk Up.

"Don't let up Rattata, another Quick Attack!" the boy called out sending his Rattata charging at Riolu again.

"Dodge and Bulk Up again!" Ash called. Riolu quickly dodged to the side of the Rattata's charge and flexed again causing the reddish-orange glow to cover him once more as his Attack and Defense increased again.

"Get in close with Quick Attack and then use Bite!" the other Trainer called out as Rattata zoomed towards Riolu again.

"Blaze Kick!" Ash said with confidence. Rattata had just reached Riolu and was about to strike with Bite when a foot covered in flames smashed into the side of its head. The purple rat Pokémon went rolling along the grass from the force of the attack. The two increases to Riolu's already high Attack strength had made for a devastating attack.

"Rattata is unable to battle. The winner is Riolu!" Misty announced seeing the Rattata fainted on the grass. "Trainer send out your next Pokémon."

"Alright, let's get 'em Nidoran!" the Trainer called out, after returning his downed Rattata, sending out the male of the Nidoran species. Riolu and the Nidoran quickly sized one another up. The Nidoran started dragging its right front leg against the ground, preparing to charge. Ash calmly waited for the other boy to make his move. "Take that Riolu down with Peck, Nidoran!" Nidoran quickly charged towards Riolu with its horn glowing with the Flying Type aura of the Peck attack.

"Quick Attack to flank it and then Blaze Kick!" Ash instructed getting a nod from Riolu who sped around the charging Nidoran. Before the Nidoran could change direction to attack, Riolu had closed the distance and slammed its flaming foot into the Nidoran's side. The Poison Type went tumbling through the grass much like the Rattata before it but this time went even further.

"Critical hit! Nidoran is unable to battle. Winner is Ash Ketchum!" Misty announced seeing the force that Riolu had struck the Nidoran with and knowing that a critical hit had just occurred. The Nidoran had fainted before it had finished tumbling.

"Aww man! Nidoran return!" the other Trainer called out returning his Poison Type back to its Pokeball. The boy walked towards Ash and the two shook hands. "Your Riolu is really tough. Thanks for the match."

"Thank you. It was a good match." Ash replied as the other Trainer pulled out his wallet and handed Ash two hundred PokeYen. Ash accepted the money and put it in his own wallet before he and Misty waved goodbye to the other Trainer and continued on their way. For a Beginner Level like Ash and the Trainer he had battled a Pokémon battle paid out one hundred PokeYen per Pokémon defeated. This was standard regulation set down by the International Pokémon League. This system of monetary compensation existed in every Region that the League was affiliated with. Though it was always the same amount fiscally the currency used varied based on Region. In Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh the currency was the PokeYen. In Unova and Alola the currency was the PokeDollar, which had an exchange rate of around one hundred PokeYen to one PokeDollar. So a match between two Beginner Level Trainers in Unova would see the winner receiving one PokeDollar for every Pokémon defeated. In Kalos it was the PokeKal and a Beginner Level could expect to win about six PokeKal per Pokémon defeated.

"Congratulations on your first victory, Ash." Misty smiled while congratulating her friend.

"Thanks Misty, I was super excited. I'm surprised I kept it together as well as I did. I almost lost it from how much I wanted to win. But I remembered what I've learned and did my best for Riolu. I'm really glad it worked out." Ash replied beaming. It was only another couple of hours before the two saw Viridian City come into sight.

"Well looks like we made it." Misty said with a grin as Ash fist pumped at reaching his first destination on his journey.

"Let's head towards the Pokémon Center first. We can get our Pokémon checked out and then spend some time in the city." Ash smiled as the two started walking towards the city.

"Oh, are you trying to ask me on a date Ash?" Misty teased with a grin. "Don't you think you're moving a little quickly? We just met yesterday after all."

"Misty!" Ash groaned playfully. "You're a horrible tease you know that?"

"I can't help that I'm born with such charm and good looks." Misty fake sighed with her hand against her cheek.

"Sure, sure, you keep thinking that." Ash chuckled causing Misty to stick her tongue out at him. Pikachu just laughed from Ash's shoulder at the banter of the two humans. There was never a dull moment when it came to his buddy Ash.

"Please present your ID if you wish to enter the city." A woman's voice said with authority. Ash and Misty turned to look at the source only to see an Officer Jenny standing next to a Police guard outpost. "Pokémon thieves have been seen in the area and we've had to tighten security." Officer Jenny explained to the two teens.

"Oh, well that's horrible, what kind of jerks are trying to steal people's Pokémon?" Ash wondered out loud as he brought out his Pokedex and used it to show his ID to the police officer.

"Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town? Alright then, you're good to go." Officer Jenny stated handing back his Pokedex. Misty dug into her rucksack before pulling out a pocketbook and opening it to show her ID. "Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City? You check out too. Welcome to Viridian City." The woman said as she handed Misty back her pocketbook.

"Thank you officer." Ash and Misty said as Misty stowed away her pocketbook and the two made their way into the city. Another few minutes of walking saw the pair arriving at the Pokémon Center. Upon entering Misty led Ash up to the front desk where a Nurse Joy was waiting.

"Would you like me to examine your Pokémon and provide treatment if necessary?" Nurse Joy asked with a smile.

"Yes please, thank you." Ash replied as he handed over Pikachu along with Riolu and Poliwag's Pokeballs.

"Thank you very much, Nurse Joy." Misty thanked as she handed over her four Pokeballs to the Nurse.

"I'll call you over the intercom when I've finished their treatment." Nurse Joy said pleasantly before taking their Pokémon into the treatment area in the back.

"Come on Ash, I left my stuff in the room I rented here and I'd like to make sure it's all ok." Misty said as she headed for the stairs to the rooms that travelling trainers could rent from the Pokémon Centers. Ash followed after his friend and they quickly reached Misty's room. Misty pulled the keycard out of her rucksack and inserted it into the lock. A whirring noise followed by a click let them know the door was unlocked. Walking in Misty found her pack sitting at the foot of the bed where she left it. The pack was a bit smaller than Ash's but was multiple times the size of Misty's rucksack.

"I'm just going to check my gear for a bit. Feel free to lounge in here if you want." Misty offered as she started pulling her gear out of her pack.

"Thanks, I'll take you up on that for a bit. I'll call my mom afterwards though since I promised her I'd show her my Pokémon when I got to Viridian." Ash replied as he lay back on the bed and rested for a bit. When Misty finished checking and repacking her gear both Trainers headed down to the lobby so that Ash could make his call and they could get some food from the cafeteria. Ash had sheepishly admitted to Misty that he'd forgotten about the food offered by the Pokémon Centers to travelling Trainers. The best part about the cafeteria was that the food was discounted compared to regular restaurants.

"Ketchum residence, Delia speaking." Delia spoke as she picked up the phone and waited for the screen to show the person who was calling. When the screen showed her son's face she smiled happily. "Oh Ash! I'm happy you remembered to call."

"Of course mom, I promised." Ash replied with a smile. "I caught a Poliwag on my way towards Viridian City! Do you want to see him?"

"Of course honey, oh wait let me call your father in here. Bruno! Get in here Ash is calling!" Delia yelled for her husband before turning back to her son.

"I'm coming!" Bruno said as he walked into the living room and sat beside his wife. "Hey kiddo! How're you doing so far?"

"Great dad! I caught a Poliwag with the Rod you made me!" Ash exclaimed as he pulled Poliwag up from where he was standing beside his trainer on the floor so that his parents could see him.

"Oh he's adorable." Delia cooed getting the equivalent of a head tilt from Poliwag.

"He looks like a good, healthy Poliwag should. Are you going to follow in my footsteps and have a Poliwrath?" Bruno questioned with a grin.

"That'll be up to Poliwag, whichever path he takes I'll help him be the best he can." Ash replied getting approving nods from his parents and a chirp of happiness from Poliwag. "I wouldn't have been so lucky to catch him without the help of my new friend." Ash said as he set Poliwag back down on the floor so he could go play with Pikachu and Riolu. "Mom, Dad I'd like you to meet Misty. I met her at the river and she helped me out with fishing and her knowledge of Water Types."

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Ketchum and… Mr. Bruno!" Misty had started off politely but had become shocked when she'd seen the Elite Four member sitting next to Ash's mother. "You didn't tell me your dad was Bruno of the Elite Four!" Misty hissed at Ash trying not to draw too much attention. Though the fact that she was shaking Ash by the collar of his shirt angrily was already drawing some amused and concerned looks from the other Trainers in the center.

"It's nice to meet you too Misty." Delia replied with a smile as she watched her son get shaken by his new friend. His new Female friend at that!

"Now, now, no need to throttle our son. We tend not to tell too many people about our family. Keeps the paparazzi away for the most part." Bruno chuckled as Misty let go of his son and bowed slightly in apology.

"Thanks dad." Ash said once his brain had stopped shaking in his head.

"Don't mention it kiddo. Though I have to admit, I didn't think you'd start thinking about a girlfriend so soon." Bruno teased causing both Ash and Misty to blush and look away from each other.

"I'm not…" Ash started.

"He's not…" Misty tried to say.

"You two are already adorable together!" Delia practically cooed. "But Ash honey, try not to make us grandparents any time soon ok?"

"Mom!" Ash yelled absolutely mortified that his mother would say such a thing in front of his new friend.

"Grandparents…" Misty said faintly looking like her head was going to catch fire if her face got any redder.

"Oh don't tease them too much dear. You might break their little teenage minds." Bruno laughed along with his wife.

"You two are evil." Ash muttered as he gave his parents a deadpanned stare. The smiles he got back from his parents didn't make it better. The four continued to talk for a while longer with far less teasing. Once the conversation ended and Ash had hung up the duo made their way to the cafeteria for some food. Misty felt that she had made a good first impression on her new friend's parents, even if they were both teasing masters.

The sun had just set when Ash and Misty headed back up towards the front desk so that Ash could rent his own room for the night. As Ash and Nurse Joy were talking and arranging his rental room the skylight in the middle of the lobby suddenly broke. Two Pokeballs fell through the shattered window and released an Ekans and Koffing. Two people slid down on ropes behind the two Poison Types. The Duo was a magenta-haired woman and a blue-haired man. Both of them were wearing white outfits with a large red R on their shirts.

"Prepare for trouble!" the woman exclaimed.

"Make it double!" the man continued.

"Team Rocket! What are you doing here?!" Nurse Joy yelled interrupting the two Team Rocket members.

"How rude interrupting our motto!" the magenta-haired woman scowled.

"If you must know we're here to take every rare and powerful Pokémon in this Center." The man said smugly.

"You disgusting thieves!" Misty yelled out angrily. Ash nearly jumped from her volume and realized that the anger she'd shown him earlier was downright playful compared to what she was displaying now.

"How dare you!" the woman said offended. But Misty wasn't listening and released her Starmie. Ash decided to follow suit and sent Pikachu against the Team Rocket members.

"Starmie use Psywave on Ekans!" Misty instructed with a growl.

"Pikachu hit Koffing with Thundershock!" Ash called out. Within a moment both attacks were launched and Ekans was sent flying back past his trainer until hitting the wall behind them. Koffing took the Thundershock and dropped from the air. Small sparks dancing over the Poison Type's body indicated that Paralysis had taken effect.

"Koffing no!" the blue-haired man called out.

"Starmie hit them both with Bubblebeam!" Misty called out getting her large purple starfish Pokémon to launch a stream of high velocity bubbles at the Team Rocket members. The two grunts were hit by the Water Type attack and sent sprawling onto the floor.

"Use Thundershock again Pikachu!" Ash said while pointing at the downed Team Rocket members. Pikachu unleashed the attack sending the wet Team Rocket grunts into a twitching Paralysis just like Koffing. During this brief battle Nurse Joy had called the police. Within a few minutes of the battle ending Officer Jenny and almost a dozen other police officers stormed through the front doors.

"Team Rocket you're under arrest!" Jenny announced as she and the other police officers cuffed the two grunts and returned their Pokémon into their Pokeballs. After the grunts were taken away Jenny got statements from Nurse Joy, Ash, and Misty before bidding the three farewells. Nurse Joy was thankful for Ash and Misty's help and so gave the two the night of room use for free to show her thanks. Both Trainers deciding that today had been more than enough went up to their rooms.

"Good night Ash, hopefully tomorrow is easier." Misty yawned as she stood outside her room.

"Night Misty, sleep well." Ash replied trying to hold back his own yawn. His room was further down the hall so he quickly made his way there for some sleep.

The two Trainers enjoyed the beds the rooms provided as they finally got some sleep. It had been a long day of travelling and an unexpected battle against Team Rocket members had been an unwelcome end to the day. Both hoped that tomorrow would be better.

**-End Chapter-**

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**So how was it? Good? Bad? Let me know with reviews. **

**I'm accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. Though some could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions. I'll post a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have eight Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms and Steel Type and Flying Type are two of them. Steel Type already has an OC planned out but Flying Type does not.**

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**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	4. Friendship Grows, Heading to the Forest

**Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with another chapter of Aura Heart Journey. This chapter Ash and Misty learn more about one another and head out towards Viridian Forest.**

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**Chapter 4 – Friendship Grows, Heading to the Forest**

"Morning Misty." Ash yawned as he met Misty in the cafeteria for breakfast.

"Morning Ash." Misty replied the two grabbing trays and picking out their food from the buffet.

"So, Misty, if you're ok with it do you want to talk about last night?" Ash asked as he started to eat.

"What part of last night?" Misty questioned as she took a drink of milk.

"I know everyone dislikes or outright despises Team Rocket. But your level of anger when they showed up would give a Primeape a run for its money. I was just curious if you'd had past encounters with them or something?" Ash queried as he ate.

"I've never directly encountered Team Rocket before. But after my parents passed, well, my sisters became rather distant with me. So my Pokémon became a close surrogate family. The thought of some random thugs taking that away for their own greed and profit really pisses me off." Misty replied as she stabbed a cherry tomato from her plate and ate it.

"Oh, that makes sense, when you're as close as family the thought of losing Pokémon is unbearable. Thanks for telling me, it means a lot that you're willing to talk about this stuff with me." Ash smiled as he took a drink.

"Well we're friends so I don't mind as much." Misty replied. "What about you? Anything that just sets you off that I should know about?"

"A couple things I guess." Ash stated as he set his fork down. "I also despise thieves but what sets me off the most are poachers and black market collectors. The ones that'll do anything, harm anyone and even kill people or Pokémon just to make money or have certain Pokémon added to their collections."

"I take it you've had some kind of experience with this?" Misty asked as she stopped eating.

"My family lives in Pallet Town and has since my great grandpa moved there when he became Champion in his day. Prof. Oak has his lab there and in the twenty seven years that he's been studying there the lab has been attacked seven times." Ash told her. "Most people don't remember that before he became a Researcher, Prof. Oak was an Elite Level Trainer that had won the Indigo Conference by beating Agatha of the current Elite Four. So attacks happen from time to time."

"That's horrible, but the Professor deals with it right?" Misty asked in concern.

"Yeah most of the time the poachers get beaten down and arrested before they can cause much trouble." Ash replied. "But one summer during the Professor's annual Pokémon Summer Camp a poacher, hired by a black market collector, attacked the lab. The guy didn't care that there were small children there when he busted in. He let loose Pokémon and started firing off powerful attacks with no regard for who might be injured or killed."

"What kind of monster was he?" Misty muttered to herself horrified at the thought of such a person.

"The greedy kind. Thankfully both Prof. Oak and my dad were there that day. I've never seen either of them so angry. The poacher's Pokémon didn't last a minute against my dad's Machamp and Prof. Oak's Dragonite. But he did a lot of damage and the camp had to be ended early. I wasn't able to keep in touch with a new friend that I made during that camp. Her mother took her home too fast so I didn't get her phone number or address. I haven't heard from Serena since." Ash sighed at the memory.

"I hope that poacher got what was coming to him." Misty ground out angrily.

"A broken jaw courtesy of my dad and a life sentence in prison. He won't be harming anyone else." Ash confirmed as he picked up his fork and resumed eating. After the two friends had finished breakfast, free of charge thanks to getting rid of Team Rocket, they made their way towards the Pokémon feeding area. Another service provided by Pokémon Centers was that a trainer could let their Pokémon out in the feeding area and food would be provided for them. The Pokémon Centers had special blends that suited the tastes of each individual Type and upon request, as well as payment, special food for specific species of Pokémon would be provided. After talking with one of the attendants of the feeding area and getting their Pokémon back, the two trainers went up to their rented rooms to grab their packs. A quick stop by the front desk to return their room keys and they were headed for the Pokemart down the street from the Pokémon Center.

The walk was only a few minutes and the two friends chatted about random topics along the way. Ash found out that Misty's favorite non-Water Type Pokémon was Eevee. In her words it was just too cute! Misty also learned that Ash had a desire to try and catch a Dragon Type before the Indigo League. Quite a goal considering Dragon Type Pokémon were usually hard to come by in the Kanto Region. Not to mention the Type was notorious for being prideful and disobedient to trainers they found unskilled. Misty had revealed that she wanted to catch a Horsea and raise it into a Kingdra herself. Ash had been interested in seeing her do so since Kingdra were rare Pokémon that very few trainers could catch or raise.

"Here we are the Pokemart." Ash stated as the duo stopped in front of the building.

"What do you need to stock up on?" Misty asked as they entered the store.

"Hmm, a couple Potions, maybe one Super Potion as well; at least two of each Status Restorative and a couple of Repels. I'll restock on some food for the road too. Having some easy to cook food is always a smart idea." Ash replied as they each picked up a shopping basket for themselves. "What about you?"

"Definitely getting a few Repels, Bug Types are my least favorite Pokémon. I had a bad experience when I was little and haven't liked them since. Also restocking on some travelling food, I ran out when I got to Viridian City so I'll need more. Maybe I can cook you a meal or two to pay you back?" Misty grinned.

"Cooking me dinner? Now who's asking who on a date?" Ash teased with a smirk.

"You wish I'd ask you out on a date." Misty fired back teasingly.

"I don't know…how's your cooking?" Ash questioned playfully.

"Good enough for you." Misty replied before sticking her tongue out at him.

"Then I might just take you up on that." Ash smiled as they started walking down aisles. Ash grabbed four Potions, one Super Potion, two Burn Heals, two Paralyz Heals, two Awakenings, two Antidotes and four Repels. Misty picked up six Repels, three Potions, two Super Potions, three Antidotes, and three Paralyz Heals.

"Alright let's check out the food section." Misty said while motioning towards the area of the store.

"Right behind you." Ash nodded as he followed his friend. The two started looking through the selection trying to decide what to get. Ash picked up a couple packages of dried noodles, some vacuum sealed vegetables that would last a week or so without refrigeration, another package of Tauros jerky, a canister of trail mix and a plastic bottle of pasta sauce. Misty grabbed Stantler jerky, powdered milk, a canister of dried fruits, a box of protein bars, another pack of vacuum sealed vegetables, a plastic bottle of soy sauce, and a box of tea bags.

"I think with this much between us we can make it through Viridian Forest without having to worry." Misty nodded as she looked between their two baskets.

"Yeah we should be good. We buy Pokeballs at the counter, right?" Ash asked the more experienced trainer.

"Yep, Pokeballs are only sold at the counter. Too many people would try to shrink and pocket them if they were just left out in the open." Misty replied as they walked out of the food section.

"I think I'll look at the travel section for a bit. See what kinds of things they have that might make our travels easier." Ash stated as he looked towards the area of the Pokemart covered in displays of camping gear.

"Alright, I need to pick up a few things from the feminine aisle anyway; unless you want to help out with that?" Misty questioned sarcastically.

"No I'm good with the travel section." Ash replied quickly. That aisle was not meant for men! It was full of all the things women needed for their health. Ash and most of the other men of the world would be lost as soon as they stepped foot into that aisle.

"You baby!" Misty laughed as she turned and walked towards the aisle in question.

"Dodged a bullet there, buddy." Ash said to Pikachu as he headed towards the travel section.

"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head in confusion. He didn't really understand what the conversation between Ash and Misty was about.

"What do they have on sale?" Ash questioned as he looked through the travel aisles. Ash found a nice kettle but knew Misty already had one in her pack. Buying a second one would be redundant. Browsing a bit more Ash found some portable power devices. "Cool they have small portable solar panel systems. Ooh and there's a mini hydro generator. Wonder what they cost?" Walking over to check the prices Ash flinched at the price of the mini hydro generator. "Eighteen thousand PokeYen! Geez! Even with the extra cash mom and dad gave me to start with that would almost completely wipe me out. What about the little solar power systems?" Ash walked closer to the next items to check the price.

"What're you looking at Ash?" Misty asked from the end of the aisle as she walked towards him.

"Portable power generation options, I told you I didn't have one in my pack so I'm checking to see if they're affordable." Ash replied.

"That could be useful. I saw a nice solar shower bag for three thousand PokeYen so I'm buying it." Misty said as she showed him the small rolled up item.

"Cool, how many liters?" Ash asked as he looked the object over.

"It's a twenty liter model. So it should give a good eight or nine minute shower before it runs out of water." Misty replied with a smile.

"Does it say how long it'll take to heat the water up?" Ash questioned as he felt how thick the four layer plastic was.

"About three hours to get it around one hundred five degrees and that's a decently warm shower." Misty answered.

"Yeah so if we hang it up when we make camp it'll be ready to go by the time we're washing up for bed. Good idea Misty." Ash smiled at his friend.

"Don't mention it. I have a small plastic tarp that we can put down to keep our feet from getting muddy too. So we'll be able to get clean and stay clean for the most part." Misty explained as she turned her attention to the various portable solar kits. "Which one are you thinking about?"

"Honestly I like this twenty watt foldable setup. It has three USB charging ports and it's fully waterproof. Plus these small lanterns that have rechargeable batteries can be charged while we walk. Then we can use them at night after we put the fire out." Ash stated as he pointed to a few models of LED lanterns.

"It would be nice to have on demand light at night." Misty nodded. "They even have a sale for these lanterns over here. Buy one get one fifty percent off."

"You're right. That's not bad. I could get the foldable panel and the first lantern for about eight thousand PokeYen and you could get the second lantern for two thousand PokeYen." Ash calculated as he nodded. "Alright that's decided, I'm getting the panel and the lanterns."

"If we're going to have on demand lights then we should stop by the book section to get some reading material. It would be pretty boring just to lie in the tent until you fall asleep every night. So we might as well have a book or two to read." Misty reasoned as she and Ash walked towards the book section. After they each grabbed two books for themselves the duo made their way towards the counter with all of their purchases.

"Is there anything else I can get you today?" the clerk asked Ash.

"I'd like six Pokeballs please." Ash replied. The clerk nodded and turned to get the requested items off the shelf behind the counter. After getting Ash's Pokeballs the clerk started ringing up the rest of Ash's items.

"The total comes to seventeen thousand nine hundred PokeYen." The clerk announced getting a slight wince out of Ash. Upon earning a Trainer's License a Beginner Trainer was given ten thousand PokeYen by the Pokémon League to get them started on their adventure. In Ash's case his parents had supplemented that with a further ten thousand to ensure he'd be taken care of for a while. They'd both assured him that he could contact them if he ever needed some extra cash. Ash wasn't planning to do that if he could help it. While it was true his family was rather well off financially it just didn't feel right to take his parent's money. Especially now that he was a Pokémon Trainer; Ash was determined to make his own way in the world.

"Here you go." Ash said as he handed over the bills from his wallet.

"Thank you sir." The clerk replied as he placed the money into the register. A tap on his shoulder had Ash turning to face Misty.

"Here's the two thousand for my lantern." Misty said as she held up two one thousand PokeYen bills.

"Oh right, thanks Misty." Ash smiled as he took the bills and placed them in his wallet.

"I wasn't going to make you pay for it. We agreed to get them together so we could take advantage of the sale." Misty reminded.

"Right, I'll let you get your stuff and I'll meet you at the tables over there so we can pack up our new stuff." Ash replied as he pointed to a cluster of tables near the entrance.

"Sure thing." Misty agreed as she placed all of her stuff onto the counter. Ash made his way to the tables and opened his pack. With some maneuvering of items he soon had his new goods packed away. He left out the two lanterns and the solar panel so that he could start using the panel to charge the lanterns for that night. With the use of a clip on his pack Ash had the panel secured. He then connected the charging cables to the lanterns before stowing them in the top of his pack. Misty made her way over shortly afterwards and began to load her pack.

"So what's the damage?" Ash questioned his friend seeing her purchases being put away one by one.

"Fourteen thousand three hundred." Misty replied as she stowed away another item. Ash whistled at the number. "It wasn't going to be that much but they had a few Net Balls in stock so I bought three."

"I see, Net Balls are definitely a must have item for a Water Type Specialist." Ash nodded as Misty continued to pack her items away. Net Balls were far better at capturing Water Type and Bug Type Pokémon than even an Ultra Ball. The capturing mechanism was more attuned to Water and Bug Type aura and thus made it harder for Pokémon of those Types to escape. Though most people didn't know about the aura part of it. Ash heavily suspected that the various craftsmen that originally made these specialty Pokeballs were Aura Users themselves.

"Alright, I'm all packed up. Ready to hit the road?" Misty asked as she stood up and put her pack on.

"Yep, let's head out. I want to be at least close to the forest before nightfall if possible." Ash responded as he stood up and threw on his own pack. The two friends left the Pokemart and made their way towards the North exit of Viridian City. The two shared small talk as they walked and after leaving the city set off onto Route Two. Misty and Ash had been chatting while walking for close to an hour when they noticed two other people on the path. The other two people were a guy about Misty's age and a boy that looked like another Beginner Trainer.

"Good morning!" the older guy called out to them as the two got closer.

"Morning." Ash replied with a nod.

"Good morning." Misty responded. The older guy looked at the younger boy and gave him a gentle nudge.

"Oh um, good morning." The boy greeted a bit nervously.

"Are either of you a Beginner Level?" the guy asked Ash and Misty.

"I just started a couple days ago." Ash stated getting a smile from the other guy.

"That's great, my name's Jeremy and this is my buddy Eric. Eric just started about nine days ago and I'm hoping to get him to be less nervous. If you wouldn't mind do you think he could battle you?" Jeremy asked politely.

"Sure, I don't mind." Ash replied as he looked towards Eric.

"Come on buddy, you know what you have to do." Jeremy said to Eric. The younger boy nodded before turning to face Ash fully.

"I challenge you to a Pokémon battle." Eric stated though his nerves were still obvious.

"I accept." Ash nodded. "How many Pokémon should we use?"

"I have three Pokémon. But I'd prefer to keep one of them in top shape in case of emergencies." Eric answered. "How about a two vs two?"

"Two on two it is!" Ash agreed as he and Eric moved off the Route and into the short grass to the side. Misty and Jeremy followed with Misty moving to stand off to one side and Jeremy taking up the referee position.

"This is a two on two battle between Eric and…" Jeremy trailed off realizing that he hadn't asked for either Ash or Misty's name.

"Ash." Ash said with a chuckle.

"Right, Ash…" Jeremy repeated sheepishly. "First to defeat both opposing trainers' Pokémon wins. Begin!"

"Alright Pikachu you're up!" Ash called as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and landed on the field with cheeks sparking.

"Do your best Oddish!" Eric called out releasing the Grass/Poison Type.

"You can have the first move, Eric." Ash offered causing the other boy to calm down somewhat.

"Thanks, ok Oddish use Growth!" Eric called causing Oddish to glow green slightly as it's' Special Attack increased.

"Use Tail Whip, Pikachu!" Ash said causing Pikachu to start moving his tail from side to side. The Oddish quickly started following the movement with its eyes as a light blue glow appeared around the Grass/Poison Type. The glow signifying that Oddish's Defense had lowered.

"Use Absorb!" Eric exclaimed getting Oddish to focus and send out green streams of energy towards Pikachu.

"Dodge it and use Thundershock!" Ash called out. Pikachu quickly dashed around the green energy and launched electricity at the Oddish. The attack struck the Grass/Poison Type but only had a little effectiveness.

"Oddish use Absorb again!" Eric tried to go for another attack.

"Dodge and give it another Thundershock!" Pikachu managed to dodge the attack again and struck back with more electricity. This time Oddish stumbled before righting itself. "Don't let up Pikachu! Keep using Thundershock whenever you can." Ash instructed.

"What?" Eric asked confused by the call Ash had made. Pikachu quickly unleashed another Thundershock sending Oddish stumbling again. "Oddish use Sweet Scent!" Oddish let out a pink mist that started to cover the surrounding area.

"Pikachu launch Thundershock from outside of the Sweet Scent! Keep on the move so Oddish can't target you!" Ash called out as Pikachu quickly dashed around the edge of the Sweet Scent cloud only stopping to launch a Thundershock when he had the time.

"Um, I…I don't know what to do." Eric muttered starting to panic as Pikachu hit Oddish with a fourth Thundershock. "Try another Absorb?" Oddish tried to follow its trainer's instructions but Pikachu launched another Thundershock from the side and sent Oddish reeling until it collapsed unconscious.

"Oddish is unable to battle! Pikachu is the winner!" Jeremy called out as Pikachu made his way back to Ash and Eric returned his Oddish. "Trainers send out your next Pokémon."

"Ok, you can do it Ledyba!" Eric called out releasing the Bug/Flying Type onto the field.

"Why did it have to be a bug?" Misty muttered as she quickly made her way behind Ash; putting her friend between the Bug Type and herself.

"Alright then, Poliwag you're up!" Ash announced letting his Water Type onto the field.

"Poli!" Poliwag exclaimed happily as it looked at the Pokémon across from it.

"You can go first this time, Ash." Eric offered timidly.

"Ok then, Poliwag use Water Gun!" Ash called. Poliwag was quick to fire off the stream of water at his opponent.

"Ledyba fly into the air!" Eric exclaimed. Ledyba quickly rose into the air and dodged the Water Type attack. "Use Supersonic!"

"That's not good." Ash muttered before giving his next instruction. "Poliwag roll to the right!" Poliwag rolled without much thought and stood up after moving sideways a couple of meters. The Supersonic had missed the rolling Tadpole Pokémon entirely. "Water Gun!" Poliwag fired off another burst of water only for Ledyba to fly up out of range.

"Hit Poliwag with Tackle!" Eric called out to his Bug/Flying Type. Ledyba flew down at speed trying to tackle its opponent.

"I need to ground Ledyba or it'll just keep flying around all of Poliwag's Water Guns." Ash mused as Poliwag rolled by itself to avoid Ledyba's attack. "Maybe…" he mumbled the beginnings of a plan forming in his head.

"Ledyba try another Supersonic!" Eric called for the confusion inducing move.

"Poliwag, Watersport!" Ash exclaimed getting a cheer from Poliwag as it launched multiple shots of water into the air soaking the battlefield. Ledyba was quickly drenched and slowly drifting towards the ground.

"Ledyba? Why aren't you using Supersonic?" Eric asked confused.

"It can't…" Jeremy stated in shock. "Watersport has soaked Ledyba's wings which it uses to make the Supersonic move. With its wings wet it can't generate the noise!"

"I thought this might work!" Ash smiled. "Alright Poliwag, barrage Ledyba with Water Gun!"

"Poliwag!" Poliwag called out as it fired another stream of water at the other Pokémon. This time Ledyba couldn't stay airborne and was struck by the pressurized water.

"Oh no, Ledyba!" Eric called out as his Bug/Flying Type was blasted by two consecutive Water Gun attacks. The second attack seemed to have been enough as Ledyba had swirls in its eyes clearly showing it had fainted.

"Ledyba is unable to battle! Winner is Poliwag! Ash Ketchum wins the battle!" Jeremy announced as Eric returned his Pokémon. Eric walked up to Ash and handed him two hundred PokeYen from his pocket which Ash accepted and placed in his wallet.

"Thanks for the match, Eric. It was fun! You should be more confident, you've got some great Pokémon!" Ash smiled at his opponent. Eric looked down embarrassed while shaking Ash's hand.

"Thanks, I'll try." Eric responded.

"This guy is good, especially for a Beginner Level. That was an odd way to use a non-damaging move like Watersport. This guy will probably go far in the League." Jeremy muttered to himself as he watched Ash return his Poliwag.

"Jeremy I challenge you to a battle!" Misty challenged as she stood across from the other trainer. Jeremy looked shocked for a moment before a grin spread across his face.

"You're on! I accept!" Jeremy called back as he reached for a Pokeball. "One on one sound good to you?"

"That's fine. What's your Level?" Misty asked as she palmed her own Pokeball.

"I'm classed as a Rookie Level Trainer. But I'm close to ranking up again so don't think this'll be easy." Jeremey replied as he held up his chosen Pokeball.

"I'm Misty and I'm classed as an Adept Level Trainer. Bring it on!" Misty retorted as she held up her own Pokeball.

"This is a one on one battle between Misty and Jeremy! First Trainer to defeat the other's Pokémon wins!" Ash announced from the referee position. "Begin!"

"Let's go, Murkrow!" Jeremy exclaimed as he released the Dark/Flying Type Pokémon.

"Starmie, you're up!" Misty called forth her evolved Starfish Pokémon. "First move is yours Jeremy."

"Thanks! Murkrow Pursuit!" Jeremy called out. Murkrow quickly flew at Starmie a haze of black surrounding its body.

"Rapid Spin to dodge then counter with Bubblebeam!" Misty instructed. Starmie spun out of the way of the Pursuit attack and launched the high velocity bubbles at the flying opponent.

"Dodge and use Nightshade!" Jeremy responded. Murkrow dodging the Bubblebeam in midair before unleashing Ghost aura from its eyes towards Starmie. The attack struck the Starfish Pokémon sending it backwards. "Now rush it with Wing Attack!" Murkrow's wings took on a white sheen as it rocketed towards Starmie and struck the off balance Water Type. "Pursuit!" Jeremy called out hoping to finish the battle with this barrage of attacks.

"Starmie use Protect!" Misty called. The green dome of Protect appeared around Starmie in time for Murkrow to smash into it full force. The dazed Dark/Flying Type hit the ground as it tried to shake off the impact. "Recover!" Misty yelled. Getting a confirming sound from Starmie as its body glowed and the damage it had taken was healed.

"Oh crap!" Jeremy started to worry. "Murkrow into the air!"

"You aren't getting away! Starmie use Swift!" Misty called out. Starmie launched a barrage of yellow star-shaped rays at the fleeing Murkrow each one hitting the bird.

"Oh no, Murkrow!" Jeremy cried out.

"Finish it with Bubblebeam!" Misty finished as Starmie blasted the fallen Murkrow with bubbles leaving the Dark/Flying Type with swirling eyes and unconscious.

"Murkrow is unable to battle! The winner is Starmie! Misty wins the battle!" Ash announced as Jeremy and Misty returned their Pokémon. Jeremy walked over to Misty and handed her two hundred PokeYen from his wallet. Misty accepted her winnings and took out her pocketbook to place the money inside.

"That was an awesome battle. I really thought I had you there with Murkrow's barrage of attacks." Jeremy congratulated Misty.

"It was a good combo but I had Starmie learn Protect to deal with fast chain attacks. Plus it gives Starmie a chance to use Recover." Misty smiled as she and Jeremy shook hands.

"Even you lost Jeremy?" Eric asked as he witnessed the outcome of the battle.

"Every trainer loses sometimes Eric. That's why I told you not to be so down about losing. It happens to everyone during their journey. No one is going to win every battle they're ever in." Jeremy explained to the younger Trainer.

"He's right you know. I've lost my fair share of battles. No one is perfect after all. It takes practice and a lot of trial and error to become a good trainer." Misty told Eric with a smile.

"Well we should be getting to Viridian City. We need to get our Pokémon healed up. Maybe we'll see each other again later." Jeremy stated as he and Eric waved goodbye to Ash and Misty.

"Have a safe trip!" Ash called back as the two groups parted ways. After another minute of walking Ash congratulated Misty on her win. "That was an awesome battle Misty! You broke his combo and took down Murkrow almost immediately after."

"I've seen a similar battle style a couple times before. If you can break the opponent's rhythm getting in a powerful attack or two usually turns the battle in your favor." Misty explained with a smile proud of her Starmie for its victory.

"We'll have to try and learn how to do that too." Ash said as he contemplated how best to train his Pokémon.

"So are you planning to catch anything in Viridian Forest?" Misty questioned as she shivered at the thought of all the Bug Types that lived in the forest.

"Maybe, it depends on what we see. I wouldn't mind catching some of the Pokémon that make the forest their home." Ash replied as he tried to recall every Pokémon that was known to regularly inhabit Viridian Forest. There was the Butterfree line and the Beedrill line of course. The Pidgeot line, even though actually seeing a Pidgeot was rare. The Ariados line, Ledian line, as well as Noctowl and Hoothoot at night. In some sections of the forest Seedot and Shroomish could be found if you were lucky. The biggest rumor though was about Bulbasaur. Supposedly in the deepest parts of Viridian Forest you could find wild Bulbasaur and their evolutions. Though this hadn't been confirmed and most people couldn't get past the Beedrill swarms to check for themselves.

"Well fair warning, if you catch a Bug Type I'm not going to be its best friend. We'll be three meters apart at all times if I can help it." Misty said with a nod as she took a drink from her canteen.

"That's fine; I won't force you to pet a Bug Type if I catch one. I understand you have a history with the Type." Ash replied as he took a drink from his own canteen. They still had quite a way to travel before they even saw the forest so Ash had plenty of time to think about what kind of Pokémon he wanted to capture.

**-End Chapter-**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**So how did you like it? Good or bad? Let me know! **

**I'm accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. Though some could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions. **

**I'll post a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have eight Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms and Steel Type and Flying Type are two of them. Steel Type already has an OC planned out but Flying Type does not.**

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**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	5. Night Under the Stars, Viridian Forest

**Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! This chapter Ash and Misty make it to Viridian Forest and Ash catches a familiar Pokémon!**

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**Thank you; Lu Bane Na, Frimorigo, Thomas E Nellis, Patrick Ayres, Rinnosuke, Kaymann, Jacob Ward, Evgeniy Kazanin, Daniel Williams, CC100, Victor Garrett, Brody Meech, Benjamin, Paul Nichols, Alastor God of Vengeance, Mauday, Thomas B. Wilkes, Vito Saraceno, Ct126371, Benjamin Shklyar, AC DC 1C 2C, Joseph, Callum Nowlan, Brad Goldin, Cody Lyle, Kori K., Mark Edward Wyndham Tiller, Joseph Morrison,****Tristan McKenzie O'Meara, Robyn Tammy Grogan, Hmm is it time, Joini, Demonhunter44, Healerbob, Optimum Prime, Wisecrackin, and Jeremy Carrico.**

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**Chapter 5 – Night Under the Stars, Viridian Forest**

Ash and Misty had walked for a few more hours before stopping for lunch and a bathroom break on the side of Route Two. A simple meal of jerky, trail mix, dried fruit and water was eaten and bathroom needs were taken care of in turns. It was reassuring for both Trainers to have someone else able to watch out for them during these times. The two companions hadn't seen anyone else on the Route since this morning except a truck that had driven by shortly before lunch. Ash had been on the lookout for any Pokémon he wanted to catch but had only seen a few Rattata and a group of small Pidgey.

"A couple more hours and we should see the forest." Misty informed Ash as they continued to walk.

"That's good; I never realized how far the forest was from Viridian City. It's not far by car but when you walk it you really get the sense of distance." Ash replied as he looked ahead to see down the Route.

"How long do you plan to explore the forest anyway?" Misty asked as they walked along.

"Not too long. If we take the main path it usually takes only seven or eight hours to get through Viridian Forest from what I've heard. I know you don't like Bug Types much so I think it's best if we get through quickly." Ash smiled getting Misty to smile back at him for his thoughtfulness.

"Thanks Ash, I appreciate your concern." Misty smiled. "I know some Trainers spend a couple days in Viridian Forest trying to catch some of the harder to find Pokémon. I hope I'm not making you miss out on something you want to catch."

"You're not, Misty, don't worry." Ash assured his companion noticing her worried/guilty tone. "I still don't even know what I'll end up catching in the forest."

"Alright, if you say so, but if you see a Pokémon you want to catch don't hesitate to stop and try. I'll be fine with a delay like that. I don't want to hinder your journey after all." Misty replied.

"You'll never be a hindrance, Misty, at least not in my book." Ash stated with a grin as he reached for his canteen. Misty's light blush was entirely missed by him as he drank.

'Why is he so sweet? He's not even trying to be! If he was almost any other guy I'd think he was trying to sweet talk me, but he's just saying what he feels.' Misty thought to herself as she faced away from Ash for a few moments to let her blush fade. When she looked back over at Ash it was to see him pouring water into his cupped hand and letting Pikachu drink from it.

"Is that better Pikachu?" Ash asked his Pokémon getting a happy 'Chu!' in return as Pikachu climbed back onto Ash's shoulder.

The duo continued their trek towards Viridian Forest for a few more hours happily chatting and telling stories. Misty found the stories Ash told about his life growing up in Pallet Town interesting. He had stories about his mom's restaurant, Professor Oak and his lab, and even stories about his father, Bruno, and learning under the Elite Four member as he was growing up. Misty told him stories about her sisters, even the ones that made her sigh and shake her head at her sibling's antics. The stories she told him about her parents were all happy memories but carried an undertone of sadness as she recounted them. The sight of woodland becoming common and slowly thickening with trees was a good indicator that they were approaching the forest.

"Looks like we're almost at the edge of Viridian Forest." Misty announced as the duo were cresting a hill.

"I'd say so." Ash replied as they stood atop the hill and looked at the massive forest spread out below. "So, since neither of us wants to spend the night inside the forest how about we set up camp a bit away from the tree line and get started on dinner?"

"Sounds good to me, I'll get my tent set up and spray a Repel before going to get some firewood." Misty offered as the two trainers started walking down the hill towards the forest.

"Alright, I'll set mine up and let the Pokémon out to wander around and get some food and exercise." Ash responded.

As the two arrived about one hundred meters from the edge of the forest they moved off the path of Route Two and into the woodland that surrounded the actual forest. They found a spot with a decent amount of space and quickly set up their tents. Misty had a tent similar to Ash's that popped up on its own. With the tents up and secured Misty took out one of the Repels she brought and started spraying a circle around their campsite. Repel sprays lasted for upwards of seven to eight hours under field conditions. Super Repels lasted around fifteen hours and Max Repels lasted close to twenty four hours.

Misty handed her Pokeballs to Ash except for Goldeen's and went about the trees surrounding the campsite picking up fallen branches to use as firewood. Ash released both his and Misty's Pokémon and set them loose on the berry bushes around the area. Staryu and Starmie both stayed close to Misty's tent as they didn't eat much while her Poliwag went with Ash's Poliwag to pick off berries from a bush across from Ash's tent. Riolu and Pikachu quickly ran around trying to find their own favorites from the berries available getting a chuckle from Ash at their antics.

"Got the firewood." Misty stated as she set the bundle of sticks down.

"Great, just give me a second to get some stones together." Ash replied as he found a few good sized stones around and arranged them in a circle. With some of the firewood put in the stone circle Ash put his hand onto the wood and focused slightly. The glow of Aura appeared on Ash's palm before turning reddish orange and a small flame appeared in his hand. Within a few seconds the fire had ignited the wood and their campfire was ready.

"That's a useful trick. Do you use your Aura like that often?" Misty asked as she started getting out her kettle and some of her food.

"Mostly just to practice, though it does save time when necessary." Ash answered as he took out his pots and his water filtering tube. "Can I get some water?"

"Sure." Misty grinned as she raised her hands and her Aura filled the space between them. A second later and droplets of moisture began to gather together. Within twenty seconds a ball of water was floating between Misty's hands. With careful movements Misty guided the ball of water into Ash's filtering tube. After the water had all been deposited into the filter Misty sat back with a grin. "That should be enough for cooking. I'm not a hundred percent certain but when I gather water like that it might also drag particles in the air with it; so I'm glad you have that filter. Pollen or dust flavored water isn't my idea of a good drink."

"Yeah, not exactly a winning flavor." Ash chuckled as clean water began to pour out of the bottom of the tube into his big pot. Misty pulled out some of her vegetables and a cutting board from her pack. After getting out a vegetable knife she set about preparing them for cooking.

"I owe you two meals so I'll cook tonight. If you have anything you want in particular just let me know." Misty told him as she focused on slicing the vegetables.

"What are you planning on right now?" Ash asked as he watched her work.

"Stir fry, we've got vegetables, soy sauce and some jerky if we want to add a little meat to it." Misty replied as she put down her knife and pulled a skillet out of her pack along with a small bottle of oil.

"Sounds good to me, haven't had a stir fry in a while." Ash stated as he pulled his empty filtering tube away from the pot. "I'll fill up the canteens with some of this water. Do you want me to start the tea?"

"Yes, please." Misty smiled as Ash filled the kettle with water and put it over the fire to boil. "Can you watch the skillet for a second?"

"Yeah sure thing." Ash replied as he took over for Misty and moved the vegetables around the skillet with her wooden spoon.

"I'm just going to fill the shower bag while we have enough hours of sunlight left to get it nice and warm." Misty explained as she pulled out her new solar shower bag and used her Aura to fill it with water. She found a branch high enough to hang the bag on where it would get plenty of sun before taking back over on the cooking. In less than thirty minutes Misty and Ash were both digging into the stir fry happily.

"Not bad Misty, this tastes great." Ash complimented as he finished off his plate.

"Glad you like it." Misty grinned as she finished up and they set about cleaning the dishes and drinking the tea.

The sun was starting to set when the duo set up Ash's tarp around the hanging shower bag. With the shower now enclosed Misty placed her small tarp on the ground to prevent mud from forming. Ash told Misty to go first since it was her shower bag and the orangette smiled as she gathered her soap, shampoo and luffa.

"Ahh, that's nice." Misty sighed happily as she stood under the warm water. Showers really were the best. Misty hummed gently as she washed her hair and body under the shower bag. After five minutes she clicked the hanging nozzle and the water stopped flowing. Reaching just outside of the tarp enclosure she grabbed her towel and dried off. Reaching out again she picked up her sleeping clothes, a large t-shirt and some loose shorts that went down to her knees. She dressed and then exited the shower. "The shower is free, Ash." She called out to her friend.

"Thanks I'll head in shortly." Ash replied as he gathered his towel and night clothes. Looking over at his friend Ash couldn't help but stare slightly at Misty.

"What? Do I have something on me?" Misty questioned as she looked herself over.

"No nothing like that. It's just the first time I've seen you with your hair down." Ash replied as he looked her over without her signature side ponytail. "It looks nice."

"Oh, thanks Ash." Misty blushed as she began to towel her hair dry so that he couldn't see her red face. Ash entered the shower and tossed his day clothes out of the enclosure next to his sleep clothes. After a warm four minute shower he happily let the final bit of water run out of the shower bag on his head.

"Showers in the wild aren't bad at all." Ash nodded as he reached outside the shower for his towel. After drying and dressing he exited the shower and found Misty had recalled all of their Pokémon into their Pokeballs for the night. "Thanks for getting everyone in for the night." He smiled as he went and sat across from her with the small campfire between them.

"No problem. Did you enjoy the shower as much as I did?" Misty asked grinning.

"Yep, sure beats washing from a small pot of water." Ash chuckled as they both sipped from the still warm tea. After a bit more chatting the sun had set and the two put out the fire. Misty turned her new lantern on and placed it in her tent for light before bed. The thickness of the tent fabric dulled the light to a dim glow to the outside allowing Ash to see the stars in the sky.

"Hmm, a little reading before bed will be good." Misty stated as she placed her pack inside her tent.

"Hey Misty, uh…would you…maybe wanna look at the stars for a bit?" Ash asked a bit nervously as he looked towards Misty.

"Hmm?" Misty questioned as she looked up at the sky. "Oh wow, you can really see them clearly tonight."

"Yeah, I thought so too." Ash replied with a smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Sure Ash, I'd like to." Misty replied with a light blush and a smile.

"Great!" Ash exclaimed before recollecting himself and blushing when Misty giggled at him. Ash quickly unrolled his sleeping bag and opened it fully giving the two plenty of room to sit as they gazed up at the shining stars.

"Wow, I can see so many stars tonight." Misty sighed as she looked up at the many stars in the sky without a single cloud obscuring the view.

"It's really amazing." Ash nodded as he looked across the vast expanse of stars.

The duo continued to star gaze together for several minutes both pointing out constellations they knew. Ash knew the constellation Leo the Pyroar and Misty traced out the constellation Hydra the Gyarados for him. When asked why Gyarados was called a hydra back in the day Misty had explained that Gyarados grouped up during mating season. When large groups of Gyarados were spotted by ancient sailors they thought the Pokémon had multiple heads and a body hidden underwater. Without the two even noticing they had moved closer together on the sleeping bag. It wasn't until their hands touched that they noticed how close they'd gotten.

"Oh, sorry." Ash apologized as he pulled his hand back from Misty's a bit of red coming to his cheeks.

"It's ok." Misty replied with a blush as she looked away shyly.

"Maybe we should head to bed?" Ash offered as he looked at Misty.

"We probably should." Misty replied as she stood up and headed for her tent. After she crawled inside she turned to look at Ash. "Hey Ash?"

"Yeah Misty?" Ash asked as he looked at her from where he was sitting.

"I liked this tonight. Do you…do you think we could do it again sometime?" Misty asked while smiling shyly pink dusting her cheeks.

"Definitely! I mean…yeah if you want to." Ash cheered before forcefully calming himself down and trying to reply normally. Misty's giggling let him know he'd failed in that regard.

"Good night, Ash." Misty said as she closed her tent and zipped it up.

"Night, Misty." Ash replied as he got his own sleeping bag brushed off and set up inside his tent. He laid on it, with Pikachu crawling onto the soft bag to sleep, as Ash folded the fluffy bag over the both of them. "Night, Pikachu."

"Pika…" Pikachu trailed off with a yawn as he curled into a ball and fell asleep.

The next morning the duo had a quick breakfast including a glass of milk each thanks to Misty buying the powdered milk at the Pokemart. After eating, getting dressed for the day and breaking down camp the two friends made their way into Viridian Forest. Misty quickly sprayed herself with a Repel to try and keep the Bug Type Pokémon at bay. As they continued to walk through the forest following the main path Ash was constantly on the lookout for any new Pokémon that he may want to add to his team. Sadly the few Pokémon he'd seen so far had only been a few small Weedle and Caterpie. He knew that Pikachu could sometimes be found in Viridian Forest but since he had his electric buddy he didn't have any reason to try and track one down. Ash was walking slightly ahead of Misty when she let out a girly scream and ran ahead of him. She then grabbed him to keep him between her and a large green caterpillar-like Pokémon that had crawled out of the bushes.

"Wow that Caterpie looks pretty big!" Ash exclaimed as he pulled out his Pokedex and scanned it.

"Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon, Caterpie consume leaves rapidly to grow and allow evolution to occur quickly. By breaking down certain plant toxins it is able to release a potent odor to repel predators. This Caterpie is Male, Type Bug. Size suggests it is close to evolution." Ash's Pokedex intoned.

"Okay then, Poliwag your up!" Ash called out as he threw Poliwag's Pokeball towards the Caterpie. With a bright light Poliwag materialized in front of the Bug Type.

"Poli!" Poliwag called out as it stared down its' opponent.

"Use Water Gun!" Ash yelled. Poliwag launched a forceful spray of water at the Caterpie sending the bug tumbling from the force. The Caterpie was rather resilient though as it immediately fired back a String Shot trying to bind Poliwag.

"Roll!" Ash instructed. Poliwag rolled to the right, dodging the String Shot before returning to its' feet. "Water Gun again!" Another spray of water struck the Caterpie sending it back a bit along the ground. When the Bug Type tried to rise again Ash could see it wouldn't be able to fight back. "Pokeball go!"

Ash threw one of his Pokeballs at the Caterpie, in a flash of red light the Bug Type was drawn into the Pokeball. Once the ball hit the ground it began to shake. After a few moments the sound of a completed capture was emitted from the ball as Caterpie became Ash's fourth Pokémon.

As Ash picked up his new Caterpie's Pokeball he smiled at his success. He turned to face Poliwag and gave it a pat on the head while telling his Water Type what an amazing job it did. Poliwag's joy could be seen as it jumped up and down and wagged its' tail. Ash laughed at his Poliwag's happiness before returning him to his Pokeball.

"Sorry about that," Misty blushed as she looked down at the ground and rubbed her arm. "It startled me."

"No worries, Misty! I got a new Pokémon and he is apparently strong for his species! Oh yeah, I better scan him now that he's my new buddy." Ash smiled as he pulled out his Pokedex and scanned Caterpie's Pokeball.

"This Caterpie knows the moves Tackle, String Shot, and Bug Bite." The Pokedex informed.

"Now what Ability does it have?" Ash wondered as he changed the Pokedex setting to Ability Identifier.

"This Caterpie's Ability is Shield Dust. Shield Dust prevents secondary effects like paralysis and poisoning from effecting this Pokémon." The Pokedex explained.

"Cool. That'll come in handy." Ash smiled as he let Caterpie out of the Pokeball. Misty quickly took a few steps back from the Bug Type. "Hey Caterpie, my name is Ash and I'd like to be your Trainer from now on. Would you like that?"

"Pie?" Caterpie tilted its' head as it looked over the human. Ash smiled gently as he held out his hand and it began glowing blue with Aura. "Pie?!" the Bug Type leaned forward in surprise as it examined the calm energy that the human produced. Within a few seconds Caterpie had moved forward and was nuzzling Ash's hand.

"Hey, that tickles buddy!" Ash chuckled as he pet Caterpie. "Let's get these injuries healed up." With a quick shrug of his shoulders Ash dropped his pack before opening a small pocket and pulling out some Oran Berries he'd picked that morning. "Eat these and you'll feel better soon."

"Cater!" Caterpie called out as it set about devouring the berries in front of it. Within ten seconds all three Oran Berries had disappeared into Caterpie's stomach and its' bruises were visibly healing.

"See? All better!" Ash smiled as the damage disappeared entirely from Caterpie's body.

"Cat!" Caterpie nodded as it moved around happily.

"Alright, let's get you some rest. Caterpie, return." Ash called recalling Caterpie back into its' Pokeball in a beam of red light. Ash turned towards Misty with a grin as he placed his new Pokeball on his belt. "Ready to keep going?"

"Ready when you are." Misty nodded as they set off back down the path. The two walked for another couple of hours occasionally seeing more Caterpie and Weedle. They'd run into another Trainer, one of the 'Bug Catchers' as they were called among Trainers, but the boy had passed them by after explaining that he was heading out of the forest to heal his Pokémon at the Viridian Pokémon Center. When the two decided to stop for lunch they broke out the quickly consumable food of jerky, trail mix, and dried fruit. Misty was adamant about not being stuck in the forest at night. Ash agreed knowing that Misty was already doing her best to deal with her fear of Bug Types.

Just as the companions were standing up to resume their trek through the forest a large bird landed on the ground opposite of them in the little clearing they stopped for lunch in. The bird Pokémon began to peck at small bugs on the ground before noticing them and glaring and giving a challenging cry.

"That's awesome!" Ash cheered as he pulled out his Pokedex to scan the bird Pokémon. "I didn't think we'd see a Pidgeotto!"

"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon and the evolved form of Pidgey. It constructs its' nests in the center of a large territory. Pidgeotto are expert predators and will use vicious force to defend their territory and members of their flock." Ash's Pokedex intoned as Ash and Pikachu both stared the Flying Type down.

"You ready, Pikachu?" Ash asked his Starter.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as he leapt off Ash's shoulder and stood across from Pidgeotto with sparking cheeks.

"Geo!" Pidgeotto cried back as it spread its' wings wide.

"Hit it with a Thundershock!" Ash called out as Pikachu sent the bolt of electricity at the Flying Type. Pidgeotto took off from the ground dodging the Electric attack. Pidgeotto circled in the air before diving with white light streaking off its' body. "That's Quick Attack, Pikachu dodge!"

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed as he tried to avoid the bird only to be slammed into by the Quick Attack and sent rolling.

"Are you ok, Pikachu?" Ash asked his Starter getting a determined reply from his Pokémon. "Wait for it to get close then hit it with Thundershock!" Pikachu didn't have to wait long as Pidgeotto dived again with another Quick Attack. Pikachu unleashed Thundershock and struck Pidgeotto sending the bird careening away from the Electric Type with a cry of pain. "One more while it's distracted!" Ash called.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried as it launched another Thundershock striking the retreating Flying Type. This shock seemed to do even more damage than the last, causing Pidgeotto to crash down into the dirt as Pikachu slowly approached it.

"Was that a critical hit?" Ash questioned while keeping his eyes on the battle.

"It looked like it. Even with Type advantage Pidgeotto should be able to handle more than two Thundershock attacks from Pikachu." Misty replied as she stood slightly behind Ash and watched him battle.

Pikachu nudged the downed bird but it barely moved in response. It was clear that Pidgeotto wasn't going anywhere without a potion. Ash quickly threw a Pokeball, which drew the downed bird in and caught it with only a few shakes of resistance.

Misty gave a small applause at Ash's capture. "That was pretty good, Ash. A critical hit is mostly luck but you captured an evolved Pokémon only a few days into your journey. You should be proud."

"I'm actually surprised I was able to capture Pidgeotto." Ash replied before he broke out into a huge smile. "Pikachu you're awesome buddy!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered as he leapt into Ash's arms and was rewarded with pets and hugs.

"Now let's see what our new friend knows." Ash grinned as he scanned the Pokeball.

"This Pidgeotto is Female; known moves are Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack and Whirlwind." The Pokedex announced.

"Not bad, she probably evolved not too long ago. She'll definitely be a great teammate." Ash commented as he switched to find out Pidgeotto's Ability.

"This Pidgeotto's Ability is Keen Eye. Keen Eye prevents loss of accuracy and allows this Pokémon to keep track of evasive opponents." The Pokedex explained.

Ash couldn't stop grinning as he let Pidgeotto out of her Pokeball. "Hello Pidgeotto, I'm Ash and if you'd let me I'd like to be your Trainer from now on."

"Pidge…" Pidgeotto warily locked eyes with the human. Ash crouched down to be on Pidgeotto's level as he slowly put out his hand and called up his Aura again. "Otto?" the bird Pokémon slowly walked closer examining the energy. A few moments later and Pidgeotto had stopped in front of Ash's hand. With a gentle peck at the Aura Pidgeotto locked eyes with Ash and gave a trill. "Pidgeotto!"

"Alright, glad to have you girl!" Ash chuckled as he gently stroked Pidgeotto's head crest. "This will sting a bit but you'll be fine in a short time." Ash explained as he pulled a Potion out of a side pocket of his pack. After letting Pidgeotto examine it for a moment Ash sprayed the bird's injuries. A slight wince was Pidgeotto's only reaction and within a few moments the singes on the bird's body were rapidly healing.

"All better?" Ash asked as the damage steadily disappeared from Pidgeotto's body.

"Geotto!" Pidgeotto trilled as she flapped her wings.

"Great, I'll have you finish resting in your Pokeball, ok? Pidgeotto, return." Ash called putting his new Flying Type back into her Pokeball.

With Ash's second capture in Viridian Forest complete he and Misty continued down the path through the forest. They met another Bug Catcher who challenged Ash to a battle. Unfortunately for the Bug Catcher it wasn't much of a fight. As soon as the Bug Catcher had declared a one-on-one match and sent out his Caterpie, Misty had promptly taken several steps backwards while still acting as the referee. Ash had sent out his own Caterpie but the size difference between the two Bug Types was huge. Ash's Caterpie was easily double the size of the Bug Catcher's. A very quick battle followed where Ash's Caterpie had bound the opponent's Caterpie to the ground with String Shot before hitting it twice with Tackle knocking the other Bug Type out. After congratulations were given and the Bug Catcher had complimented Ash's Caterpie, the Bug Catcher handed Ash his one hundred PokeYen winnings before heading off. Misty then approached Ash to offer her own congratulations.

However, before Misty could congratulate Ash on his victory, his Caterpie began to spray String Shot all over itself. As soon as Caterpie was covered he began to glow with the white light of evolution. As the glow continued Caterpie's form changed and in the caterpillar's place now stood a new Pokémon.

"Metapod." The green cocoon Pokémon called out.

"Alright Metapod, you evolved!" Ash exclaimed as he crouched down to rub the cocoon Pokémon happily.

"Meta." Metapod replied with an eye smile.

"Well congratulations, Ash. You've evolved your first Pokémon." Misty praised getting a megawatt smile from Ash in return.

"I didn't think he was so close. But I'm very happy that he evolved. Maybe if he battles a bit more he'll evolve again soon. Bug Types usually evolve quickly when they battle after all." Ash pondered as he got out his Pokedex.

"Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon, Metapod has a steel-hard shell that protects its tender body. It quietly endures hardships while awaiting evolution. This Metapod is Male, Type Bug; known moves are Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite and Harden." The Pokedex explained. Ash quickly switched over to identify Metapod's Ability. "This Metapod's Ability is Shed Skin. Every so often this Pokémon will shed the outer layer of its shell and remove any status ailment along with it."

"Hmm, I wonder how often that Ability activates." Ash wondered as he returned Metapod to his Pokeball. "Well we shouldn't be too far from the exit now, I'm sure you're ready to go." He teased his travelling companion.

"You're right, so let's get a move on." Misty stuck out her tongue while pushing Ash forward. The two walked with Misty spraying another Repel before they fell into casual conversation again. It was only a couple hours before they saw the exit of the forest. But they noticed someone standing next to it in what appeared to be samurai armor.

"Are you a Trainer from Pallet?" The samurai boy questioned as Ash and Misty approached.

"I'm from Pallet Town. Why are you asking?" Ash questioned as he looked at the boy's get up.

"Your contemporary has dishonored me both in battle and after battle with his dishonorable conduct! As his fellow townsmen, you shall atone for his behavior!" The samurai claimed as he drew his katana and pointed it at the duo in challenge.

"Really, Gary? You're going to gloat every time you win aren't you?" Ash muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed at his childhood rival's actions. "If you're challenging me to a Pokémon battle then I accept. You don't need to point a sword at me or my friend to get that." Ash stated as he glared at the samurai until the boy re-sheathed the blade.

"Very well, I propose a two-on-two battle, do you accept?" The samurai boy asked.

"Sure, my friend Misty will act as referee, any objections?" Ash questioned.

"I have none." The samurai replied. Misty took her place as referee before stating the conditions of the battle. Seeing both Ash and the samurai boy ready Misty started the match.

"Go, Pinsir! Avenge our honor!" the samurai called out. In a flash of white light, a huge, brown beetle Pokémon with its large, gray crushing pincers glared at Ash while clashing its crushing claws. Ash withdrew his Pokedex for extra information on the Bug Type.

"Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokémon. Pinsir are well known to feud with Scyther and Heracross for forest territory. It grips prey with its pincers until the prey is torn in half. What it can't tear, it tosses far." The Pokedex informed.

"Metapod, you're up!" Ash called sending out his newly evolved Pokémon.

"Just like that you've handed me the first victory, a Metapod cannot move and so is only a target, we will deal with it as one. Pinsir, Vice Grip!" The samurai boy called out. The large, imposing Bug Type moved closer towards the green cocoon, its pincers clacking together ominously as Metapod looked slightly alarmed.

"Use String Shot and tie those pincers together!" Ash called out knowing a little something about the Pinsir species. Metapod released a spray of silk from where it once had a mouth. The sticky thread bound the pincers together and caused both the Bug Type and its samurai trainer to freeze in alarm.

"Impossible! A Metapod can't stop the strength of a Pinsir!" The samurai yelled.

"I like Pinsir so I studied them back in school. I know that all of their power comes from closing the pincers. The opening power is actually weak enough that a regular person can easily hold them closed." Ash explained getting the samurai's eyes to bug out. "Now use, Tackle!" Metapod bounced over to the tied up Pinsir and with a solid lunge into Pinsir's face executed its Tackle. The attack caused the larger Bug Type to stumble before falling backwards.

"What! You won't win so easily! Pinsir use Seismic Toss!" The samurai called out.

"Don't let it get back up! Use String Shot until it's stuck to the ground!" Ash instructed. Metapod quickly began to spray more sticky thread all over the downed Pinsir. The large Bug Type struggled to its feet before attempting to charge. Metapod believed in his Trainer and continued using String Shot to try and stop the Pinsir. The Stag Beetle Pokémon made it about six more steps before its feet stuck to the ground and it fell flat just a few inches in front of Metapod. "Barrage it with Tackle!" Ash called out as his Metapod repeatedly used Tackle against the immobilized Pinsir. After five consecutive Tackle attacks Pinsir stopped struggling against the String Shot and laid on the ground fainted.

"Pinsir is unable to battle! The winner is Metapod!" Misty announced getting the samurai to return his Pinsir.

"You shall be avenged Pinsir, go Metapod!" The samurai called out as he released his own Metapod.

"Uh, Ash, is Metapod glowing?" Misty asked as she pointed over at Ash's Metapod. Ash turned back to look and to his surprise he saw the glow of evolution surrounding his Pokémon.

"Metapod is evolving!" Ash exclaimed in shock. He watched as his Pokémon morphed while emitting light until the glow died down and a Butterfree stood in Metapod's place. After evolution Ash's Bug Type gained large white wings and a purple body with large red eyes and the black wing markings of a male Butterfree. Once the evolution ended the new Butterfree stretched out its wings experimentally before it began flying around.

"Free-free!" Butterfree called out excitedly as he flew around his Trainer. Ash could only laugh and congratulate his Pokémon.

"We are still in the middle of a match! I say we should continue!" The samurai called out getting a nod from Ash.

"Let's put those new wings to use Butterfree! Use Gust!" Ash exclaimed. With a nod Butterfree began rapidly moving its wings until a spinning gale was launched at the opposing Metapod. The Bug Type was hit by the gale, picked up and thrown through the air from the force before landing and rolling. When everyone could see Metapod again it had swirls in its eyes. Ash and Misty blinked in shock at how fast Butterfree had defeated Metapod before Misty made the call.

"Metapod is unable to battle! The winner is Butterfree!" Misty announced causing the samurai to return his Metapod before he hung his head in defeat.

"That was amazing Butterfree! You were great! Take a nice long rest!" Ash praised his Pokémon before recalling Butterfree to his Pokeball.

"I have been defeated. But I shall not fall to despair. I'll train harder and someday we may battle again!" The samurai boy stated as he pulled out Ash's winnings of two hundred PokeYen and handed it over.

"I'll look forward to it." Ash responded with a smile as he placed his winnings in his wallet.

"Until we meet again." The samurai boy nodded as he turned and headed back into the forest.

"What an odd guy." Ash chuckled as he turned towards Misty.

"Now, onto Pewter City, and away from this forest!" Misty announced very happy to be leaving. She grabbed Ash's wrist and started speed walking towards the exit. Ash could only laugh at his friend's antics as they exited the Viridian Forest.

**-End Chapter-**

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**So how was it? Good? Bad? Let me know! So Ash has caught two more Pokémon. They're canon captures but that's what my patrons voted for and I'll work in a few new ones throughout the story! Team rotation will be a thing! Also, romantic star gazing, sure it was between teens who aren't entirely sure of their feelings for one another but hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! **

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have eight Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms and Steel Type and Flying Type are two of them. Steel Type already has an OC planned out but Flying Type does not!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	6. Pewter City, Jobs and Ride Pokemon

**Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with a new chapter of Aura Heart Journey! This chapter we see Ash and Misty arrive at Pewter City. Ash starts working for some travelling money while also spending time with Misty. The two also plan out a bit more of their travel plans for the future and acquire new Pokémon! **

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**Chapter 7 is Already Available for patrons!**

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**Chapter 6 – Pewter City, Jobs and Ride Pokémon**

As Misty speed walked out of Viridian Forest with Ash's wrist firmly in her grip the orangette sighed in happiness at finally being out of the bug filled woods. Ash chuckled at his friend's antics but understood her fear of Bug Types. Many people had a fear of a certain species or Type of Pokémon. Misty's fear wasn't even that uncommon, especially among girls.

"Finally out of there!" Misty cheered as she raised both her arms into the air in celebration. The fact that she still held Ash's wrist in her grasp made the black-haired trainer raise that arm too.

"Yeah, I caught a few good friends too!" Ash joined in with Misty's celebration. The two both grinned at each other before Misty realized she was still holding Ash's wrist and pulled back with a small dusting of pink on her cheeks. Ash didn't notice as he was already looking around the area to see if there were any Pokémon in the area.

"Pewter City is only about an hour walk from here. If we start now we can make it before sundown, sleep in the Pokémon Center and have a good meal too." Misty spoke up after her small blush died down.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Ash responded as the two friends began to walk along the road again. They spent the walk chatting as had become their routine. Misty had been to Pewter City before and was telling Ash about the various sites around the 'City of Stone' as it was called.

"So did you try out the Training Facility in Pewter City, Misty?" Ash asked as they continued to walk along.

"Yeah for a bit, it's a standard Facility that they have in most cities and towns." Misty replied. Training Facilities were Pokémon League owned businesses that supported travelling Trainers with the tools and space needed to train a wide variety of Pokémon. Everything from weight lifting, exercise equipment, and even endurance building could be worked on at a Training Facility. Pokémon could also practice their moves there to perfect them and even learn new moves with the help of Technical Machines, also called TMs. This was all for a fairly inexpensive cost, except for the TM use. If you wanted the Facility to provide the means to quickly help a Pokémon learn a new move you would be paying for it. Depending on the move in question the price changed. Some moves would only cost five thousand or ten thousand PokeYen. But more powerful moves or moves with great utility could go anywhere from fifteen thousand all the way up to fifty thousand.

"Hmm, I'll need to make use of the Facility to train for my Gym battle. But at the moment I only have forty three hundred PokeYen. It's usually five hundred PokeYen a day to use the Facility if I remember correctly." Ash mused as he thought about what to do to get his Pokémon the training they'd need to be ready for a Gym battle.

"You could always take a Pokémon Job. There are always a few Jobs available on the board in the Trainer Lounge at the Pokémon Center." Misty suggested as she looked at her friend. Pokémon Jobs were requests put up either by local residents or in some cases the Pokémon League itself. They ranged from simple tasks such as taking care of another person's Pokémon for a short time all the way up to catching violent wild Pokémon to protect people and other Pokémon. The Jobs were also divided up by Trainer Level so a Beginner or a Rookie wouldn't be allowed to try and hunt down and capture a powerful violent Pokémon.

"That's true. A couple of Jobs could get me a good amount of PokeYen. Pewter City does have a mining history and I'm sure if you found an Evolution Stone you'd be paid for it. Not to mention that some Jobs are short so you can do multiple Jobs in a day." Ash considered while walking.

"So, Ash, how long are you planning to travel before entering the Indigo League?" Misty asked a few minutes later as they got closer to Pewter City.

"Ideally I'd like to enter this year's League in eleven months. It would be a good way to test myself and show how strong my Pokémon are. Getting my name out there as a first year Trainer that made it to the Regional League would also be good." Ash replied as he scratched behind Pikachu's ears.

"You also said you wanted to challenge more than eight Gyms, right?" Misty questioned before taking a sip from her canteen.

"Yeah, I think ten or twelve Badges would get my Pokémon enough experience and training that we could do well in the League. Why?" Ash wondered as he looked to his friend.

"Well it'll take a while to travel that much of the Kanto Region on foot. You may not be able to make it before the League starts. Have you thought of getting a bike or some other form of transportation to speed up the time spent travelling between locations by a day or two?" Misty inquired getting a contemplative look from Ash.

"Not really, though I see your point. But I can't exactly afford a bike right now." Ash responded.

"What about a Pokémon? There are several species that can be taught to be Ride Pokémon. Plus even if you use them for transport they can still be trained for battle too." Misty explained.

"A Ride Pokémon would be useful. You still get the experience of travelling the wilds that you miss out on in a car or while flying, but you get to where you're going a bit faster as well. But I don't think there are many Pokémon species around Pewter that can be Ride Pokémon." Ash mused as he thought about the various species that were native to the area.

"True, though you could look into the local Breeder's Association. They might have one you could buy. It would probably be a bit expensive but not nearly as much as a bike that's good enough to handle all-terrain riding and will last for more than a year or so." Misty replied.

"The idea has promise, but what about you? If I can afford a Ride Pokémon as a mount for transport I wouldn't want to make you walk and try to keep up." Ash stated seriously not liking the idea of leaving Misty behind.

"I've been a Trainer for nine months now Ash. I've saved up a good amount of PokeYen from the battles I've had and the Tournaments I won. I'll definitely have to dip into those savings but I should be able to afford a Ride Pokémon without much trouble." Misty replied with a smile feeling warm inside seeing how much Ash wanted her to travel with him.

"Oh, right, that makes sense." Ash chuckled while Pikachu tilted his head confused about the conversation. "Well between training for the Pewter Gym, doing Jobs, and shopping we can definitely check out the local Breeder's Association. I'm kind of curious about what they might have in stock now." The two friends continued chatting for the remainder of the walk to Pewter as the sun began to set. The town came into view as the sky was painted orange by the descending sun. The two entered the city shortly afterwards.

Ash and Misty made their way to the Pokémon Center to get rooms for the duration of their stay in Pewter City. They walked up to the front desk and placed their Pokeballs into two of the trays stacked on the desk. Ash noticed the Nurse Joy raising a pink eyebrow when she counted the amount of Pokeballs.

"Five Pokémon already?" Nurse Joy asked as she looked him over. "That's pretty good for a Beginner."

"How can you tell I'm a Beginner?" Ash asked the Nurse.

"I've been a Pokémon Nurse for quite a while. You eventually develop a knack for estimating a Trainer's Level." Nurse Joy smiled in response. "We'll take care of your Pokémon for the evening. Would you like any special services done for them?"

"Yes, can I get them fed both tonight and in the morning?" Ash asked getting a nod from the nurse.

"Of course for five Pokémon that'll be one thousand PokeYen." Nurse Joy replied. Ash nodded before handing over the money. Misty stepped up next and requested the same care and feeding for her own Pokémon. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" the nurse asked as she handed the trays with the Pokeballs to the Chansey next to her.

"Yes, I was wondering where the local branch of the Breeders Association is?" Ash asked the pink haired nurse as the Chansey took their two trays of Pokeballs into the back.

"It's in the northeast of town." Nurse Joy replied. "If you head towards the museum and then take a right you'll find it at the end of the road."

"Thanks Nurse Joy." The two friends nodded getting a smile back.

"Will you two being needing rooms tonight?" Nurse Joy inquired.

"Yes please." Misty responded getting a nod from the nurse. After checking Misty's ID and getting payment for the night, Nurse Joy handed over a key card for Misty's room. Ash went next and after parting with another two thousand PokeYen he was given his own key card.

"Please enjoy your evening." Nurse Joy smiled and bowed.

"I don't know about you but I'm heading up to my room for a shower." Misty stated to Ash as the two walked away from the desk.

"A shower sounds nice actually." Ash replied with a nod. "Then some dinner and I'll check out what Jobs are available in the Trainer's Lounge."

"I'll meet you down in the cafeteria for dinner." Misty smiled getting a grin from Ash. The two parted ways to go to their individual rooms. After a shower and changing into some new clothes for the evening, a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt for Ash while Misty wore a baggy t-shirt and cotton shorts that went down to just above her knees, the duo met up at the cafeteria for dinner. After eating the duo headed for the Trainer's Lounge to check out the Jobs available. Ash perused the board for Beginner Level Trainers to try and find some Jobs that would earn him a decent amount of PokeYen.

"I'll try these three tomorrow." Ash nodded as he took down a copy of each Job that he wanted to try. The first was simple and only required him and his Poliwag to help repair a small private pond owned by one of the residents of Pewter City. Poliwag could easily dive down and patch up the damaged section and it would net him five thousand PokeYen. The second Job he took down was for a sparring match for a local Trainer's Machop. Apparently the Trainer was looking after his friend's Fighting Type and wanted another Fighting Type to spar with it. As the Machop was still fairly young a Beginner Trainer was being requested. Completing this Job would get him four thousand PokeYen. The final Job would take the longest but could possibly net him the biggest windfall. Pewter City had some open pit mines on the outskirts of the city. They allowed travelling Trainers to dig these rocky mines in search of rare minerals and other items. The Pewter City mines were known to still have Evolution Stones found buried deep in the rocks. Mostly Moon Stones based on the closeness of Mt. Moon. But several others had been found over the years as well. Not to mention items that the research teams at Pewter City Museum would pay for such as fossils, shards, and the like. A few years back a large gem known as a Comet Shard had been found by a miner and it had sold for an impressive sixty thousand PokeYen.

"So what did you decide on, Ash?" Misty questioned when Ash sat down across from her in the Lounge area.

"These three are what I'm doing tomorrow." Ash replied as he handed Misty the papers. Misty looked over them nodding at Ash's choices.

"Not bad picks, Ash. These first two shouldn't take more than an hour or two. Digging the mines is also potentially profitable. The fact that the only thing you're required to sell is gemstones and rare metals is a boon for Trainers that are looking to find Evolution Stones. I might join you for this tomorrow, I could find a Water Stone if I get lucky." Misty said as she handed the papers back to Ash.

"Sure thing, Misty. According to the paper Mine Number Six is currently closed to the public. Apparently a Trainer dug up a Gold Nugget and the mining company has its' professional miners excavating the area to try and find more gold. But that still leaves the other five mines open to everyone." Ash informed as he read through the rest of the paper.

"Sounds fair, the mining company has to make money too. Plus they let Trainers keep everything else to sell for profit so you can't really begrudge the company for keeping gold and gemstones for themselves." Misty shrugged while Ash nodded. Shortly afterwards the two headed to their rooms to sleep for the night.

**-Next Morning-**

"Morning, Ash." Misty smiled as she met Ash in the cafeteria for breakfast.

"Morning, Misty." Ash replied as he looked her outfit for the day over. A white tank top that hugged her body while leaving her midriff bare and a different pair of jean shorts that had a white wave pattern worked into the denim. "That's a nice outfit."

"Thanks, I loved these shorts when I saw them in the store so I had to buy a pair." Misty blushed as she enjoyed Ash's compliment. The two ate breakfast while discussing their individual plans for the day. Ash was of course going to do the three jobs he'd picked out last night, while Misty was planning to use the Training Facility and get her Poliwag started on more intense training. They would meet up for lunch at the Pokémon Center before heading out to the mine together. After a few hours mining they would stop by the Breeders Association to look at Ride Pokémon.

"See you at lunch, Misty." Ash said as the two parted ways at the Pokémon Center.

"See you then, Ash." Misty smiled as she waved back at her friend and headed off towards the Training Facility.

It wasn't much trouble for Ash's Poliwag to fix the damaged section of the Pewter resident's pond. Apparently all the mud and underwater plants as well as the edge of the pond on one side had been damaged when the older man's Whiscash had been attacked by a large wild Fearow. The Whiscash had thrashed and beaten back the Fearow but damaged the pond in the process. In just under two hours of Ash and Poliwag making mud, then having Poliwag re-cover the bottom of the pond with it, Ash was handing Poliwag the new plants to be planted on the bottom to finish the Job. The side of the pond had been filled in with dirt and new sod by Ash while Poliwag replanted the pond bed. Ash happily accepted his five thousand PokeYen and returned Poliwag to his Pokeball before heading off to the next job.

Meeting the local Trainer and the Machop he was caring for had been easy enough. Without much preamble Ash had called out Riolu to spar with the Machop. The two Fighting Types had gone at each other for about two hours before they both fell back and started laughing at the fun they'd had. Riolu had even learned how to perform Force Palm during the course of the two hour long spar. Ash was beaming at his Fighting Type in pride. Force Palm was a great Fighting Type move and would be invaluable when they challenged the Pewter City Gym. Collecting the four thousand PokeYen and recalling Riolu to rest in his Pokeball Ash headed off to the Pokémon Center to meet Misty for lunch.

"So how's your morning been, Misty?" Ash asked as the two sat down to eat together.

"Not bad at all. Poliwag did great with her training and even learned a new move." Misty smiled happily.

"Really? What move did she learn?" Ash questioned as he sipped his drink.

"Bubble, it has about the same power as Water Gun but can also hinder an opponent's movement and slow them down." Misty replied getting a nod from Ash.

"Sounds like something my Poliwag will learn once we get some really good training in." Ash mused thinking about his own Water Type.

"What about you, Ash? How did your Jobs go?" Misty asked before taking a bite of her lunch.

"Pretty good, I'm nine thousand PokeYen richer and Riolu learned how to use Force Palm." Ash smiled.

"That'll be useful for your Gym battle." Misty commented getting a nod from Ash. The two finished their lunch before heading out to the Pewter City pit mines. Upon arriving and showing their IDs the two were informed they could use their Pokémon to help dig and that they were allowed to enter Mine Number Four. The two thanked the attendant and preceded to the designated mine. After picking up shovels, hard hats and work gloves the two looked for a spot not currently occupied. Mine Number Four was currently almost half full of Trainers and the two had to walk for a while before they found a free area to start digging. Ash released Riolu and asked him for help with digging which Riolu happily started doing. Pikachu had also jumped down from Ash's shoulder and started digging next to Riolu, the two Pokémon quickly making a fairly large hole in the ground.

"Welp, let's get digging!" Ash exclaimed as he took his shovel and started digging. Misty giggled at his exuberance before starting to dig herself. For almost an hour they found nothing of value, just rocks and dirt, a sudden call from Pikachu and Riolu changed that as the two Pokémon climbed out of their hole and brought something over to Ash.

"What did you guys find?" Ash asked as Pikachu and Riolu both placed something in Ash's hand. Looking down Ash was happy to see a few fairly large Red Shards. Shards were pieces of ancient stone and clay works such as tablets and pottery that could be found in many places around the world. Most were only small fragments and not very valuable but larger Shards that were more complete could be sold for more. Ash was no archaeologist but he wouldn't be surprised if the three Red Shards his Pokémon had brought him sold for about five hundred PokeYen a piece. Just by putting the Red Shards next to each other Ash could tell these Shards had once been part of a larger tablet.

"Great work you two. These are a great find. Can you keep digging and see if you can find more?" Ash asked his Pokémon getting cheers from Pikachu and Riolu as they ran back to their hole and resumed digging.

"Oh, I think I found something." Misty called out from her position several feet away. Ash turned to look at her when he saw her reach down and pull something out of the hole she'd dug. A slightly rough gray stone was held in Misty's hand. "I can feel some Aura in this. This is a Moon Stone, isn't it?" she asked as Ash walked over.

"Yeah, that's definitely a Moon Stone." Ash confirmed after looking the stone over and feeling the traces of Aura within the rock. "Good find Misty. You can keep this to evolve a Pokémon or sell it for around two thousand PokeYen."

"I might sell it. There aren't any Water Types that evolve with a Moon Stone." Misty contemplated as she placed the stone into the bag the mining company had provided them. It would be inspected to make sure that gemstones and precious metals were being sold to the company and not taken out of the mine. Several more minutes of digging led to no more discoveries so Ash and Misty switched to new spots. Pikachu and Riolu had found another large Red Shard that appeared to go with the three they'd found earlier and Ash had praised them with head pats and an Oran Berry for each of them.

"Hey, what's this?" Ash wondered as his shovel struck something besides dirt and rocks. Reaching down Ash brushed the dirt away from the item and was surprised to see what appeared to be a fossilized bone. "Hmm, it's not any fossil I've ever heard of. But it looks pretty old. Maybe it belongs to a different ancient Pokémon?"

"That's what they call a Rare Bone." Misty spoke up from her digging area. Ash looked over to his friend confused.

"A what?" Ash asked.

"A Rare Bone. Paleontologists don't know what species they come from because they're so rare, so whenever one is found they're willing to pay a good amount for them so they can study the bones. I'm sure you could sell that at the Pewter Museum for around ten thousand PokeYen." Misty explained as she took a small break from digging.

"Oh cool!" Ash exclaimed as he carefully picked up the bone and placed it into the mining bag. The two resumed digging for a while Pikachu and Riolu hadn't found anything else yet and were taking a break in the shade. Misty had found another Moon Stone and placed it into the bag with the first one. Ash hadn't found anything else since the Rare Bone and was getting ready to switch spots. The group of two humans and two Pokémon were getting ready to call it a day when Ash struck something else. Bending down to brush the dirt and small rocks away Ash came face to face with a blue rock that appeared to have bubbles in it. The Aura he could feel in the stone instantly proved what he'd found.

"A Water Stone." Ash mumbled as he picked it up and looked at it. "I know someone that would love this." He chuckled to himself as he put the stone behind his back and walked over to Misty.

"Did you find something Ash?" Misty asked as she watched Ash walk up to her.

"Yep, hold out your hands and close your eyes." Ash grinned as he kept the Water Stone hidden behind his back.

"Okay, but you better not be messing with me." Misty warned as she closed her eyes and held out her hands. Ash chuckled as he gently placed the Water Stone in Misty's hands.

"You can open your eyes now." Ash said. Misty opened her eyes and looked at what Ash had placed in her hands.

"A Water Stone!" Misty yelled happily at seeing the Evolution Stone. "You found one?" she asked as she looked the stone over.

"Yeah just a minute ago." Ash replied. "Consider it a gift."

"Wait are you serious?" Misty questioned as she looked between Ash and the Evolution Stone.

"Of course, I want you to have it Misty." Ash smiled at the orangette.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Misty repeated as she suddenly wrapped her arms around Ash and hugged him. Ash blushed at feeling Misty pressed up against him but gently returned the hug. Misty pulled back slowly a moment later her face completely red since she realized what she'd done. "I…I really appreciate it Ash. Thank you so much." She thanked him while still blushing.

"Don't mention it, Misty, like I said I want you to have it." Ash replied his own face still a bit red. Misty smiled at him, a bright and glowing look that made Ash feel warm inside. He'd have to make sure to keep Misty happy like this just so he could see this smile more often. Ash recalled Riolu and let Pikachu climb back up onto his shoulder before picking up their mining bag and heading back towards the attendant's area. Misty followed behind with both shovels and the two were quickly checked over and their found items given to them. As they left Misty couldn't help but take out her new Water Stone and think about which Pokémon she could use it on.

"There's always Staryu if it wants to evolve. But I could use it on Poliwag once she evolves into Poliwhirl if she wants to become a Poliwrath. There is also Shellder to consider, I've wanted to catch one of them for a while now." Misty mused as she looked over the blue stone.

"Decisions, decisions, right?" Ash chuckled as he watched Misty contemplate how to use the Water Stone.

"Always, when it comes to Water Types I have trouble deciding." Misty grinned at her friend.

"You could potentially hold out for an Eevee too. A Vaporeon is a good Water Type to have." Ash mused.

"That would be amazing!" Misty exclaimed with stars in her eyes, already imagining having a Vaporeon of her own. Ash chuckled at the cute scene as Misty was lost in her daydream.

The two headed for the Pewter City Breeder's Association and during their walk Ash could have sworn that Misty was walking a bit closer to him than normal. But he put that out of his mind as just wishful thinking when the place they were looking for came into view. It was a fairly large building with a massive outdoor space for Pokémon to roam around in. It had fences marking off certain areas for specific Pokémon and Ash could see a few Pokémon that could qualify as Ride Pokémon from the gate. The two walked into the building and were greeted by the receptionist, a pretty older woman with black hair and kind eyes.

"Can I help you?" She asked politely.

"Yes, ma'am. We're looking to purchase a pair of Ride Pokémon if possible." Ash responded.

"Alright I'll need to see your IDs and then I'll call Lawrence. He's our Ride Pokémon Breeder. He'll show you the Pokémon we currently have available." The receptionist explained as Ash and Misty presented their IDs. A few seconds of entering their information into her computer later and a man walked out of the back and motioned them to follow him.

"Hello young Trainers, my name is Lawrence and I'm a Pokémon Breeder that specializes in breeding Ride Pokémon." Lawrence introduced himself. He was an older man, probably in his mid-thirties with light brown hair and gentle brown eyes. "Do you have any Pokémon you're looking for in particular?"

"Not really, a Pokémon that's easy to control and can handle covering good distance with a rider is all we've talked about." Misty replied.

"I see, well we can definitely accommodate that request. Let's start off with something popular." Lawrence smiled as he led them outside and stopped by a fence that was full of Ponyta and a few Rapidash. "A lot of Kanto Trainers choose Ponyta for their endurance and high speed. They can usually get you from one town to the next within a day so they've always been very popular."

"I wouldn't mind a Fire Type, but I've heard Ponyta are competitive by nature. If we have a pair wouldn't they try racing each other?" Ash asked as he watched a few Ponyta start racing one another at the other end of the enclosure.

"True enough, Ponyta often compete against each other to see which is the fastest." Lawrence mused as he looked over the herd. "Maybe something less inclined to racing?"

"That might be for the best." Misty nodded as the trio walked further down the path. They stopped at a paddock that housed a few Doduo and even three Dodrio.

"These Doduo are fast but not inclined to competition like the Ponyta. They have a lower weight capacity though so you can't have both a person and a heavy pack at the same time. They can only handle so much before they'll toss something off." Lawrence explained as he got one of the Doduo to come closer and let Ash and Misty pet the large fluffy bird.

"I carry a pretty large pack. I'm not sure if Doduo would be willing to put up with that much weight." Ash commented as he pet the Doduo in front of him. Misty nodded as she continued to pet the Flying Type. Ash carried a larger pack than she did and it might be too much for a Doduo when you added Ash's weight on top of it.

"Alright, we'll keep looking." Lawrence smiled as he patted the Doduo on the head and the three resumed walking. They looked at a paddock with a few Growlithe pups all snuggling up to an Arcanine. Misty thought they were adorable but Ash realized the issue immediately.

"These Growlithe are newborns, right?" Ash questioned as he watched the Arcanine lick one of the pups.

"Correct, Arcanine are incredible Ride Pokémon but they're costly because Growlithe require a Fire Stone to evolve. Arcanine can handle most any terrain and can support a high weight load while still maintaining near top speed. Unfortunately we only have our mother Arcanine and her newest litter of pups right now so I'm afraid they aren't available." Lawrence explained getting nods of understanding from Misty and Ash. The next paddock they stopped at only had two Pokémon inside. Ash didn't recognize them off the top of his head so got out his Pokedex to scan them.

"Skiddo, the Mount Pokémon; Thought to be one of the first Pokémon to live in harmony with humans, it has a placid disposition. If it has sunshine and water, it doesn't need to eat, because it can generate energy from the leaves on its back." The Pokedex intoned in its' computerized voice. "Skiddo are native to the Kalos Region and have a long history as both agricultural Pokémon and Battling Pokémon."

"They're cute!" Misty gushed at the two Goat Pokémon, watching them wander around while nibbling at the grass in the paddock.

"We've had these two for a few months now. A farm over by Celadon City wanted a large amount of Gogoat and Skiddo. They have the backing of Celadon City's Gym Leader, Erika so we and the Breeders Association Facility in Celadon took on the project. Unfortunately we were a bit too successful and ended up having these two as extras. I've raised them up as Ride Pokémon and they do their heritage proud. They're incredibly friendly with people and other Pokémon and can carry heavy loads for long distances. If you want them to battle they have no problems doing so. Both seem to enjoy battle as much as any Skiddo so they're great all around." Lawrence explained as the two Skiddo noticed the humans and walked over to inspect the two new people.

"Why hasn't anyone bought them? They sound great." Ash wondered as he pet one of the Skiddo over the fence. Misty was giggling as the Skiddo she was petting nuzzled into her hand.

"Lack of knowledge mostly; many Kanto Trainers haven't seen a Skiddo before and so they're hesitant to rely on one for transport. They feel more comfortable with a Ponyta or Tauros, a Pokémon they have more information about." Lawrence explained.

"I like them. They may not be Water Types but they're adorable." Misty grinned as she continued to pet the Skiddo.

"I think they'd be perfect. Though these two do look bigger than the one in the Pokedex." Ash mentioned as he stroked the Skiddo's back.

"Well since we've had them so long I've had time to work with them more than normal. They've grown from the extra care and given another month or so of good training I wouldn't be surprised if they evolved into Gogoat." Lawrence chuckled as he watched the Skiddo interact with Ash and Misty.

"What do you think, Misty?" Ash asked his friend as he watched her play with the Skiddo.

"I want them." Misty smiled at him as she played with the Skiddo's ears. Ash grinned back at her as he patted Skiddo's head.

"Well Lawrence, how much are these two?" Ash asked the Breeder as he turned to face the man.

"Since they were extras and no one has shown interest in them for a few months I think a fair price for Skiddo of this age and development would be ten thousand PokeYen each." Lawrence replied as he led Ash and Misty back towards the building.

"Can we draw up a contract of sale now and pick them up in a couple of hours? I need to sell some of the items we dug up in the mines to purchase Skiddo." Ash explained to Lawrence as they sat in the Breeder's office.

"We can do that. I'm glad to see that someone else appreciates those two for how great they are." Lawrence smiled as he pulled out two blank sales contracts. After filling out the documents Ash and Misty made their way out of the Breeders Association Building and headed for the Pewter Museum to sell Ash's Rare Bone and Red Shards. They'd sell Misty's Moon Stones at the Pokemart afterwards and she'd use the ATM there to withdraw the rest of the money from her savings.

**-At the Pewter Museum-**

"Where did you say you found this?" The paleontologist they'd been led to see by an intern asked.

"Mine Number Four. I found it on the southwest side of the bottom level." Ash explained as he and Misty watched the scientist look the Rare Bone over.

"It's in very good condition; we may actually be able to find more bones this time. It would be a breakthrough in paleontology to finally be able to piece this ancient Pokémon together." The scientist remarked as he gently set the bone down. "Let's not beat around the bush. I'm willing and authorized to offer you ten thousand PokeYen for this specimen. Are you willing to part with it for that much?"

"That sounds fair. I accept." Ash stated as the scientist's face lit up in joy.

"Wonderful, wonderful! Let me just call the finance department and your payment will be waiting at the front desk." The paleontologist exclaimed as he picked up his phone. A quick conversation and the scientist hung the phone up. "It's been wonderful meeting you Mr. Ketchum and you as well Ms. Waterflower." He stated as he shook both of their hands. "Now I must be going, we have a site to secure in Mine Number Four!" With that said the man gently collected the Rare Bone and walked out of the meeting room while shouting for an intern to call the Pewter Mining Company to reserve a place in Mine Number Four. A short wait later and the next scientist they were meeting entered the room. This man was an archeologist and was here to buy Ash's Red Shards. After greetings were made Ash laid out the four large Shards and the scientist put on a pair of disposable gloves as he examined them. After placing them together to form what appeared to be maybe a quarter of a stone tablet the scientist looked up at them.

"A very good find you have here, Mr. Ketchum. You don't often find matching Shards like this. There appears to be some faint writing left on two of these Shards as well. It'll take much research to find out what they say but that's what we archeologists live for." The scientist smiled as he looked the four Red Shards over appraisingly. "I'd offer you twenty two hundred PokeYen for all four."

"I accept; I hope you're able to translate them." Ash smiled kindly as he shook hands with the scientist after the man had removed the disposable gloves. After carefully packing the Shards away the scientist made a phone call and once he hung up he informed Ash that both payments would be waiting for him at the front desk. Misty and Ash quickly collected his payments and made their way to the Pokemart.

**-At the Pokemart-**

It was quick and easy to sell the two Moon Stones to the Pokemart. Misty was four thousand PokeYen richer and the clerk was humming happily as he placed both Evolution Stones into the display case. A stop by the ATM and Misty had the ten thousand she needed to purchase her Skiddo.

"Let's go, Ash!" Misty exclaimed happily as she practically dragged him behind her towards the Breeders Association Building. Ash only laughed at Misty's enthusiasm.

**-Breeders Association-**

It was easy to pay for both of the Skiddo since Lawrence had already drawn up the sales contracts beforehand. Within a few minutes Ash and Misty were handed both of the Skiddo's Pokeballs and both Skiddo had been fitted with a saddle on their back.

"The saddle comes with the Pokémon. Since they're Ride Pokémon they have a specially made saddle that can be absorbed by the Pokeball when they are." Lawrence explained as he watched Ash and Misty pet their new Pokémon.

"Can we ride them out?" Misty asked as her Skiddo was happily standing beside her as if offering her a ride already. Ash's Skiddo was doing much the same.

"Of course, just let me explain how to ride them first." Lawrence chuckled as he went through how the Skiddo had been trained to be ridden and how to direct them to where you wanted to go or which direction you wanted them to move in. It was with laughter and joy that Ash and Misty rode their new Skiddo into Pewter City and towards the Pokémon Center several minutes later. Both teens enjoying the ease of control the Skiddo responded to and how quick the Goat Pokémon were.

"Best decision ever!" Ash cheered as he and Misty rode through the city streets as the sun began to set.

**-End Chapter-**

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**There we go! Another chapter written and Ash has another friend and now a mount! Travelling will pick up a bit from here as Skiddo takes over for the long stretches! I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next!**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! **

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have eight Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms and Steel Type and Flying Type are two of them. Steel Type already has an OC planned out but Flying Type does not!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	7. Training Facility, New Job, and Riding

**Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with a new chapter of Aura Heart Journey! This chapter we see Ash and Misty training at the Pewter City Pokémon Training Facility, doing another Job, plus a bit more hanging out time between the two and a leisurely ride around the City.**

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**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

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**Chapter 7 – Training Facility, New Job, and Riding**

It was the morning of the day after purchasing their new Skiddo that Ash and Misty enjoyed breakfast together before preparing to head over to the Training Facility. After getting their Pokémon back from Nurse Joy the two trainers released their Skiddo and prepared to depart. Before they got onto Skiddo's back Ash remembered that they hadn't gotten the Pokémon Center to scan their new Ride Pokémon for Moves or Ability.

"Just a second, Misty, I forgot to check Skiddo's Moves and Ability yesterday in the excitement." Ash smiled sheepishly getting a nod from a lightly blushing Misty as she too had forgotten. Ash pointed his Pokedex at his Skiddo before scanning it for Moves.

"This Skiddo knows the following moves: Tackle, Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, and Synthesis." The Pokedex informed getting surprised looks from both Ash and Misty.

"Wow, seven moves! Breeders really are a class apart when it comes to caring for Pokémon." Ash breathed out in amazement.

"No kidding, Lawrence said he'd only had them for a few extra months too." Misty exclaimed her eyes wide as she looked over her own Skiddo. Since her Skiddo and Ash's Skiddo were brothers that had the same care and were the same age, they likely knew the same moves too.

Pokémon were capable of learning multitudes of moves when properly trained. Most high levelled Trainers had about ten moves that they used during battle and they were usually the strongest their Pokémon knew at the time. It was not to say that Pokémon simply forgot their weaker moves. Only that they had grown so strong that they actually needed to hold back to perform the weaker moves they knew. An example commonly used in school when studying to earn a Trainer License were the moves Tackle and Take Down. Many young Pokémon knew the move Tackle and it was a reliable move when battling. However once those Pokémon got older and stronger, or evolved, the most common move to 'replace' Tackle was Take Down. The Pokémon in question could still perform Tackle if told to, but it would have to hold back its speed and strength to perform the weaker move. Most wild Pokémon only knew three or four moves as they spent most of their time foraging, hunting, or sleeping. These moves usually tended to be the most powerful the Pokémon could perform at the time, since they used them to fight off predators or to hunt their prey.

"Let's check your Ability, buddy." Ash smiled as he pet his Skiddo; the Goat Pokémon gave a happy bleat as it nuzzled its Trainer's hand. Ash switched to Ability Identifier mode and scanned Skiddo again.

"This Skiddo's Ability is Sap Sipper. This Ability allows Skiddo to boost its Attack power when struck with Grass Type moves. This Ability also prevents damage from Grass Type moves." The Pokedex intoned.

"That's a super useful Ability." Misty stated as she pet her Skiddo who nuzzled her back.

"No kidding, total immunity from Grass Type moves and you get a boost in Attack power if an opponent uses one against you. I'm probably going to use Skiddo at the Celadon Gym!" Ash grinned getting another happy bleat from his Ride Pokémon.

"You could use Skiddo at the Pewter Gym too." Misty spoke as she sat on her Skiddo's back and got comfortable in the saddle. "The Type advantage would make it a bit easier. Plus since you're Beginner Level the Gym will probably make it a simple two vs two match."

"True, but I'll still need a second Pokémon that can battle at the Gym too. Skiddo is strong but Gym Leaders have tons of strategies for countering their specialties' weaknesses. A Gym is a test of skill after all, so I can't expect to win with just a single Pokémon even with Type advantage." Ash replied as he sat on his Skiddo's saddle and urged the Goat Pokémon forward.

"At least you're aware of that." Misty replied as she urged her Skiddo forward to match Ash's pace so the two trainers could ride side-by-side. "I can't tell you how often a Beginner Level or Rookie Level Trainer came to the Cerulean Gym with an Electric Type or Grass Type thinking they were going to get an easy Badge."

"Can't most Water Type Pokémon learn Ice Type moves too?" Ash asked since the two Types shared many moves between the various species.

"Exactly," Misty nodded with a grin. "Some Water Types can even learn Ground Type moves. A sudden Aurora Beam or Mud Shot can devastate a challenger's Grass and Electric Types. My sisters aren't known to be forgiving since they usually just want to end the match and go back to practicing their water ballets." The orangette sighed at her sister's lack of motivation when it came to running their family's Gym.

"Well then Riolu and Poliwag are probably my best bet when it comes to the Pewter Gym's Rock Type Pokémon. Both Pidgeotto and Butterfree have a disadvantage against Rock Types. Pikachu won't be able to rely on his Electric attacks since most Kanto Rock Types are also Ground Types. I could start training his muscles in preparation to learn Iron Tail but that'll take a while and I don't want to stay in Pewter City for too long." Ash contemplated as he scratched Pikachu behind the ears when he noticed the Electric Type's melancholy at not being able to help out at the Pewter City Gym.

"True, Pikachu are known for their speed and maneuverability rather than their physical power." Misty replied as she got her Skiddo to make a turn to head for the Facility. Ash followed her movements since Misty had been there before. It wasn't long before the two trainers were outside the Training Facility. Both of them were impressed that they'd gotten to the other side of Pewter City in such a short time compared to walking. Skiddo, even at a brisk walking speed, far out-sped humans on foot. Ash and Misty dismounted their Ride Pokémon and proceeded to enter the building followed by the two Skiddo.

The inside of the Training Facility was impressive to say the least. At least two dozen different trainers and their Pokémon were making use of the equipment. There was a large area which contained exercise machines from treadmills and rowing machines to punching bags and various forms of weights. There were two large swimming pools in a room behind a glass wall. There were also numerous indoor battlefields for practice battles. Off to the side there was a sectioned off area with multiple computers and specialized machines where trainers could pay for the use of TMs. Finally there was a large lounge area containing many tables, as well as several large TV screens were trainers could watch the practice battles taking place in the building while they rested from training.

"This is so cool." Ash grinned as he looked around at everything.

"This is fairly standard for a Training Facility." Misty responded before leading Ash over to a reception desk.

"How can I help you today?" The young woman behind the desk asked. She was probably in her early twenties and was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt with the logo of the Training Facility franchise emblazoned across it.

"One for the pool area and this is my friend's first time at a Training Facility." Misty stated gesturing to Ash. The receptionist nodded as she turned to Ash with a smile.

"First time, alright then, we'll set you up with an assistant trainer to help you make the best use of the Facility. The first time is free, but if you want the assistant's help next time an extra five hundred PokeYen fee will be applied." The receptionist informed Ash who nodded in response. "I'll call Bradley and he'll be with you shortly. Until he gets here I'll take your payments for using the Facility. That'll be five hundred PokeYen each please." She smiled as Ash and Misty handed over the money and each got a wristband with a tag on it. The tag merely told the staff that the person wearing it had payed to use the Facility.

"Alright Ash, I'll be over in the pool area training up Goldeen and Poliwag if you need me." Misty informed him as she pointed to the glass wall.

"Sure thing Misty thanks for the help." Ash smiled getting one in return from Misty.

"Goldeen is really close to learning Water Pulse so we're going to train extra hard today!" Misty exclaimed with her fist held high as she walked over to the pool room followed by her Skiddo. Ash chuckled at his friend's excitement as he waited for the assistant trainer Bradley to meet him at the desk.

"Hey are you the new guy?" A man in his twenties asked as he approached Ash.

"That's me, Ash Ketchum." Ash confirmed as the man shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Ash! The names Bradley, but just call me Brad! I'll show you how to get the most out of the Training Facility!" Brad stated with a grin as he motioned for Ash to follow him. Ash followed after the older guy as he led him towards the exercise machines. "So what Type of Pokémon are we training today?" he asked as they walked.

"I've got Pikachu here plus a Riolu, Poliwag, Pidgeotto, Butterfree and Skiddo." Ash replied as he pointed to Pikachu and Skiddo when he mentioned them.

"So two Flying Types, an Electric Type, a Fighting Type, a Water Type, and a Grass Type. You've got a pretty diverse team. Let's start off with some strength and endurance training." Brad nodded as he brought the group over to the area with the weights. A quick explanation of how to strap the weights to his Pokémon and all six were given a task to perform. Butterfree and Pidgeotto were to fly laps around the large open space near the ceiling. Ash's other four Pokémon were all put on treadmills fit for their size and started at a brisk pace. The exception was Poliwag who was put on a slightly slower pace do to the species having notoriously low endurance when on land.

"So this weight training will help Poliwag strengthen its legs so that it can move better on land?" Ash asked as he watched his Water Type slowly walk on the treadmill with a weight strapped to its back.

"It sure will. Poliwag that learn how to walk on land and strengthen their legs before they evolve always have better endurance and overall strength than ones that don't. Plus Poliwhirl that have better leg strength can actually learn Mega Kick from the TM station over there." Brad explained as he pointed at the sectioned off area.

"That's interesting." Ash mused as he watched his Pokémon work out. "Can I join them? If my Pokémon are going to do physical training to get better I want them to know that I'm with them one hundred percent of the way."

"Hell yeah! A trainer after my own heart!" Brad exclaimed with a fist pump. "Of course you can join them! Pokémon respond well when their trainer trains with them rather than just barking orders." With a grin Ash took off his t-shirt, leaving him in just his white tank top under shirt, as he got onto a treadmill next to Pikachu. Brad helped him set the treadmills speed and soon Ash was jogging next to his Pokémon. "Seeing a trainer so dedicated to their Pokémon has got me fired up! I'll join you guys with my buddy!" Brad grinned as he released a Pokémon from the Pokeball he pulled off his belt. A flash of white light revealed Brad's Pokémon to be a large Machoke.

"Choke!" The Machoke called out as it flexed its arms.

"Alright Machoke, we've got a dedicated trainer here so let's join him and his team for some cardio!" Brad announced getting a nod from Machoke as both trainer and Pokémon got onto their own treadmills and started at a jogging pace.

"Your Machoke is pretty big." Ash commented a moment after Brad and Machoke started jogging.

"Yeah I've raised him since he was a Machop. He's about four years old now." Brad replied as he watched his Fighting Type jog on the treadmill next to him. "He wants to hit his physical peak before he evolves so we work out and train all the time."

"I heard Machoke take years to evolve naturally." Ash replied as he continued to jog.

"Oh yeah, five years old is the earliest on record. But it's more common for a Machoke to be six years old before they evolve. While battle is a big part of a Machoke's evolution it's also about time, they need to be strong enough to handle the amount of power they'll gain upon evolving so they take a while to develop and train. There is a way around the waiting time but most Fighting Type experts don't recommend it." Brad said with a shake of his head.

"A Trade Machine." Ash stated as he looked over at his exercising team.

"Yep, those machines cause certain species to evolve when they're put through it during a trade. I'm not sure if anyone's figured out why, but it happens." Brad exhaled before breathing deeply. "But Machoke wants to do it the natural way so we're taking it slow."

"Probably for the best." Ash nodded as he recalled his father's Machamp and how powerful it was. If he remembered correctly his dad's Machamp was around twenty two years old now. The Fighting Type was incredibly strong even by the standards of its species and Bruno's slow and steady method of training it while raising it up from a Machop had clearly borne fruit.

"I sometimes wonder about those other Pokémon that can be evolved by going through a Trade Machine. How long would some of them take to evolve naturally? I guess I'm just curious since I'm raising a Machoke myself." Brad chuckled as he looked over Ash's Pokémon to make sure none of them were getting overworked.

"According to the last research I heard about when in school Graveler take around ten or so years to naturally evolve into Golem. But their diet is supposed to have some effect on the length of time. I'm not sure about Kadabra, but according to old stories and legends a Haunter that lives to be one hundred years old will evolve into a Gengar. Ghost Types have an odd life cycle to begin with and I don't think anyone has ever confirmed one to have died of old age." Ash informed the assistant trainer.

"Whew, that's a long time to try and train Pokémon!" Brad laughed at the thought of trying to be a Pokémon trainer for a hundred years. "Well, that should be enough cardio. Let's take a quick breather and do some free weights next."

"Sure thing." Ash replied as he and his team slowed to a walk before getting off the treadmills. Brad and his Machoke led the group over to the free weights and showed them proper weight lifting technique so that they wouldn't injure themselves. Ash joined his Pokémon again while watching them work. Pidgeotto and Butterfree were holding onto weights and lifting them without the use of their wings. Both Flying Types were clearly not used to this type of workout but Brad promised it would make them stronger. Pikachu and Riolu were lifting small dumb bells and setting them back down only to lift them again. Poliwag was using his tail to lift a small kettle bell and set it back down. Skiddo had a weight strapped to each leg and had to lift them individually and then set his foot back down before lifting the next leg. Each leg went in rotation to get them worked out evenly. Ash was doing curls while watching Brad's Machoke do the same. The only difference being that while Ash's dumb bells were twenty pounds each, Machoke's were easily a hundred pounds each and the Fighting Type was curling them as if they were ten pounders.

"Alright, now let's get in some work on the bag!" Brad exclaimed as the group put their weights back where they belonged. Brad showed the Pokémon how to strike the punching bag and had Machoke hold the bag steady for them to take turns striking it. Riolu was clearly in his element as the small Fighting Type took to the exercise with gusto. Pikachu did fairly well hitting the bag with his small fists and even throwing in a tail strike every now and then. Pidgeotto was striking with her wings while Butterfree and Skiddo were performing tackles against the bag. Poliwag repeatedly attacked the bag with his tail during his turn. Through all of this Machoke barely moved at all the Fighting Type displaying the immense strength his species were known for. After working the bag for a while Brad told Ash to let his Pokémon cool down with a swim in the pool room or in Skiddo, Butterfree and Pidgeotto's case a leisurely walk/fly around the perimeter of the large room. As Ash collected his t-shirt and threw it over his shoulder he followed Brad over to the pool area.

"Well if you have any questions about the Facility feel free to come and ask me Ash. I have to make my rounds now so I should be easy to spot." Brad explained as he shook hands with Ash.

"Thanks for the help Brad. I'll be sure to work the things you've shown me into my team's training." Ash nodded as the assistant trainer headed off to walk the Facility and help other trainers and their Pokémon. Ash led his Pokémon into the pool area and sat down on a lounge chair while his Pokémon enjoyed their cool down time. Pikachu, Riolu and Poliwag were playfully swimming in the shallow end of one of the large pools while Skiddo wandered over to meet up with Misty's Skiddo. Pidgeotto and Butterfree were slowly flying around the large room and landing occasionally before taking off again.

Looking around Ash noticed two girls sitting in their own lounge chairs off to the side of the pool. Both were probably around seventeen and were chatting with each other. Noticing Misty's rucksack next to a lounge chair near the older girls Ash wondered where she'd gone off to. His question was answered when Misty, with her Goldeen and Poliwag, broke the surface of the other pool and swam next to each other. Misty got to the shallow area where she could stand without issue before petting her Pokémon.

"Great work today you two! I'm so proud of you Goldeen; you've got Water Pulse down perfectly!" Misty praised her Pokémon getting happy cries from the two Water Types. Recalling both of her Pokémon into their Pokeballs Misty turned around to see Ash sitting on a lounge chair and looking at her. "Hey, Ash, when did you get here?" she asked as she made her way to the pool ladder.

"Just a minute ago, I'm letting my Pokémon cool down from their workout." Ash replied as he watched Misty climb out of the pool. Seeing water cascade down Misty's body sent a blush across Ash's face. Especially considering Misty was wearing a blue bikini and it was the most of the orangette's body he'd seen so far.

"That's good; a cool down is healthy after a workout." Misty responded as she walked over to her rucksack, bent down and pulled out a towel from it. Ash hadn't been able to avert his gaze from his friend's body and was now sure that the sight of her firm butt in a blue bikini bottom was going to be etched into his memory for a very long time. Misty turned around and draped the towel around herself as she walked over to Ash and placed her rucksack on the chair next to his. "Watch my bag while I go change, please."

"Sure thing, Misty." Ash nodded as he watched her smile at him before turning and walking towards the changing room. Ash's gaze was once again drawn to Misty's nice bottom as it moved with the slight sway of her hips as she walked. Just as Misty got to the changing room door she turned back to look at Ash and noticed his gaze. Ash seeing Misty looking at him as he looked at her blushed profusely. Misty's face gained a hint of pink before she seemed to shake it off and gave Ash a wink. Ash widened his eyes at Misty outright flirting with him when she'd caught him looking at her, but before he could react the orangette had disappeared into the changing room.

"That was too cute!" One of the older girls squealed as she and her friend giggled at Ash. Ash was fairly certain his face was emitting steam at this point as he tried to hide his blushing from the giggling teen girls. A few short minutes later and Ash was helping his Pokémon dry off before returning them to their Pokeballs to rest. Just as Pikachu climbed back up onto his shoulder Ash heard footsteps behind him. Turning around he came face to face with Misty, her navy blue midriff bearing t-shirt and light blue jean shorts from this morning back on, with a grin brightening her face.

"Ready to get some lunch, Ash?" Misty asked her grin still in place.

"Of course." Ash replied as he turned his face away slightly feeling some heat return to his cheeks. Looking back to meet Misty's gaze a moment later Ash's eyes widened again when he noticed Misty's eyes roving over his tank top clad torso. "Uh, Misty, you alright?" he asked feeling his face flare up again.

"Yeah, I'm good." Misty replied as she caught his eyes and winked again. "Just getting my own look in, fair is fair after all." Ash rubbed the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly as he followed Misty towards the door of the pool area with their Skiddo following behind them.

"Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Misty, I didn't mean to." Ash apologized hoping he hadn't offended Misty or made her uncomfortable.

"You're not a creep or being perverted about it. So, honestly, I'm sort of flattered." Misty replied as she waved off his apology. "When you grow up with three older sisters that all the boys consider bombshells you tend to get used to being overlooked."

"Who could overlook you?" Ash asked without thinking before he could stop himself. He saw Misty's eyes widen before she graced him with that wonderful, warm and glowing smile he'd seen when he'd given her the Water Stone. 'I really like that smile.' Ash thought to himself as he and Misty reached the reception counter and turned in their wristbands. Walking out of the Training Facility Misty breathed in deeply before sighing as she exhaled. Turning towards Ash to see him putting his t-shirt back on she grinned before speaking.

"Well since its lunch time how about we go grab something to eat and then find a Job to get some more cash?" Misty asked as she looked at her friend.

"Sounds good, you just want to grab something quick and ride back over to the Pokémon Center?" Ash asked as they prepared to get on their Skiddo's backs.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan." Misty replied before a smirk came to her lips. "Since you got a little show at the pool I'll even let you pay for my lunch." She teased.

"Show?!" Ash sputtered as he looked at Misty his face completely red. Misty couldn't contain her laughter at the look on Ash's face.

"Hahaha! Your face, you should see your face right now!" Misty laughed joyfully as Ash turned away from her to hide his blush. "Alright, alright I'm just teasing." She giggled as Ash finally turned back to look at her. "Let's get lunch, okay?"

"Alright, let's go." Ash responded as they both got onto their Skiddo and urged the Ride Pokémon forward towards a fast food restaurant. Just a few minutes later the two were standing in front of a menu at a burger place and reading over the selection.

"So what are you getting, Misty?" Ash asked the orangette as he decided on his order.

"Hmm, a number one looks good, a classic burger with a one hundred percent Tauros beef patty and fries." Misty nodded. Ash moved up to an available register and placed both their orders on one ticket. After paying the teen behind the counter Ash collected the receipt and returned to Misty's side. "Ash! I wasn't serious about you paying for my lunch!" She exclaimed making to get out her pocketbook and pay Ash back. Ash's hand on her arm stopped her as he smiled at her.

"Its fine Misty, I want to." Ash smiled before smirking as he leaned in and whispered into her ear. "Besides, buying lunch is a small price to pay for such a nice 'show'." Misty blushed to the roots of her hair as Ash turned her earlier joke against her and playfully swatted his arm in retaliation. Ash chuckled at seeing Misty embarrassed before hearing their number called and going to retrieve their food. A moment later the two trainers were happily sitting outside at a table with their Skiddo lying down next to them.

"Good stuff." Misty smiled as she took another bite of her burger.

"A good burger is always welcome." Ash nodded as he held out a piece of lettuce to his Skiddo, the Goat Pokémon happily scarfing it down in short order. The two finished their lunch while chatting and feeding their Skiddo with extra lettuce. After throwing away their trash the two climbed back on their Skiddo and rode over to the Pokémon Center.

"So what kind of job should we take today?" Ash asked as he and Misty looked over the board in the Trainer Lounge of the Center.

"Hey, what about this?" Misty asked as she held up a flyer from the Beginner Level board. The flyer was asking for a Trainer to catch a Jigglypuff for the parents of a local girl. The little girl's birthday was coming up and the parents wanted to get her a Jigglypuff as a pet. But neither parent had any luck when searching around the rocky grass fields at the base of Mt. Moon for one of the gentle Fairy Types.

"That looks easy enough. Plus we have a few days to get it done if we need it." Ash mused as he read over the flyer.

"With Skiddo we should be able to get to the areas around Mt. Moon where Jigglypuff can be found in less than an hour. With two of us and a little luck we should be able to finish this up before the end of the day." Misty stated with confidence.

"Alright then, let's go catch a Jigglypuff." Ash nodded as the two quickly headed out the door and let their Skiddo out of their Pokeballs. After mounting the Ride Pokémon the two trainers urged them forward at a moderate speed towards the edge of town and Route Three. A few minutes later the duo had reached Route Three and told their Skiddo to speed up. Ash and Misty were thankfully prepared when both of their Skiddo quickly bolted forward onto the rocky Route. Each of the Ride Pokémon had a top speed of around fifty five kilometers per hour when carrying an average rider. With a pack added on their speed slowed down to around forty five kilometers per hour to account for both weight and the safety of their rider. Since Ash and Misty weren't carrying their packs, only having Misty's rucksack with them, their Skiddo were free to bolt along the Route at top speed. It was only a short time later that the trainers found themselves in a mountain grass field.

"This is a preferred habitat for Jigglypuff. Keep your eyes peeled." Misty whispered as they rode their Skiddo slowly through the tall grass.

"Got it, did you eat your Chesto Berry?" Ash asked as he looked around the large field.

"Yep, gave one to Skiddo too, we shouldn't have to worry about being put to sleep for the next hour or so." Misty replied happy that they'd found the berries on a bush just before they'd entered the large grassy area. As the two slowly searched through the area Ash called out his Butterfree and had it start flying above the area to look for the pink coloring of a Jigglypuff. Almost an hour later Ash noticed Butterfree circling a rocky area in the field and motioned Misty to follow him.

Ash and Misty slowly rode their Skiddo over to the area Butterfree was circling. Misty motioned Ash to take the left side of the outcropping while she went around the right side. After circling around the large rocks the trainers came face-to-face with a large, pink puff ball of a Pokémon.

"Jiggly?" The Jigglypuff looked at them questioningly before noticing they were humans. "Puff!" The Fairy Type quickly bounced over the edge of the outcropping and out of sight.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Ash called out as he urged Skiddo forward. The Goat Pokémon had no issues scaling the rocks and leaping over the other side to chase the Jigglypuff while Misty rode around the rocks instead. The Jigglypuff continued to bounce through the tall grass making excellent use of its body's elasticity.

"I didn't know Jigglypuff could move so fast!" Misty called out as their Skiddo closed in on the bouncing Fairy Type.

"It's actually bouncing instead of running! That's a pretty smart form of locomotion for a light-weight Pokémon like Jigglypuff!" Ash yelled back as they were almost caught up with the fleeing Pokémon. The Jigglypuff seeing the humans closing in on it resorted to its species default self-defense tactic when cornered, the Sing move.

"Jig~ gly~ puff~ Jiggly~ yy~ Puff~" Jigglypuff began to sing as a wave of Normal Type Aura, invisible to non-Aura users, spread across the field.

"That's not going to work on us!" Ash called out before giving Skiddo an attack. "Skiddo, use Vine Whip and hold it in place!" Skiddo launched two vines from its leafy coat trying to wrap them around the singing Pokémon. Jigglypuff, noticing the incoming attack, bounced out of the way and tried to flee again.

"Oh no you don't!" Misty called out as she and her Skiddo cut off the Fairy Type's escape route. "Skiddo, grab it with Vine Whip!" Her Skiddo also launched two vines at the bouncing Pokémon. Jigglypuff managed to dodge them only to get tripped up by the vines of Ash's Skiddo behind it. While it stumbled all four vines were quickly wrapped around the Fairy Type and Ash called Butterfree down from where he was hovering.

"Butterfree use Confusion!" Ash called out getting a noise of confirmation from Butterfree before he unleashed the Psychic Type attack on the trapped Jigglypuff. Ash had known that Butterfree naturally learned Gust upon evolving from Metapod. He'd only found out the first morning of their stay in Pewter City that his Butterfree had also learned how to use Confusion. That had been a welcome surprise for Ash and he'd celebrated with Butterfree by buying a small bottle of nectar from the Pokémon Center and letting the Bug Type drain it dry.

After the blue glow of Confusion had faded from around Jigglypuff, Misty had pulled out a Pokeball and tossed it at the weakened Fairy Type. In a flash of red light Jigglypuff was sucked into the ball which proceeded to shake wildly for a few moments. Only after hearing the sound of a successful capture did the two trainers release the breath they'd been holding.

"Great job, Misty!" Ash congratulated his friend with a smile.

"You too, Ash! It was your Butterfree that weakened Jigglypuff." Misty returned the congratulations as her Skiddo retrieved the Pokeball with its vines and handed it to Misty. Misty smiled at her Ride Pokémon and rewarded him with pets and scratches behind the ears.

"I guess we should head back. With Skiddo we should have plenty of time to turn Jigglypuff over to the new owners." Ash suggested getting a nod from Misty as they had their Skiddo pick up a good pace back towards Pewter City. Just over an hour later Ash and Misty handed over Jigglypuff's Pokeball to a pair of ecstatic parents and were given the eight thousand PokeYen compensation. Splitting it evenly had both trainers four thousand richer and in a good mood.

"So what should we do now?" Misty asked as they rode leisurely along a road in Pewter City.

"Well we still have a few hours of daylight. Do you want to ride around and go see some of the sites around the city? You know… together?" Ash asked as they continued to slowly ride through the street.

"Oh? Now who is asking who on a date?" Misty teased Ash with his own words from the Pokemart back in Viridian City.

"So…is that a no?" Ash questioned cautiously not wanting to ruin his friendship with Misty.

"Of course I'll go see the sites with you, Ash." Misty responded with a smile getting Ash to beam back at her.

"Awesome!" Ash fist pumped before hearing Misty giggle at his reaction. Turning towards the orangette Ash chuckled lightly as Misty grinned and winked at him before she started leading him to their first destination for the afternoon.

"I'm sure you'll like this place. It's the building they built to let people see the remains of the Onix that the founder of Pewter City used to help carve out the beginnings of the City from the mountains. It's huge even for an Onix; it easily surpasses the average twenty eight feet length of the species." Misty informed getting a nod from Ash as he listened intently. The two smiled happily as they rode side-by-side towards the area; all the while a warm joyful feeling spread through them. Neither realized that it wasn't just their emotions making them feel this way, but that their individual Auras had begun to slowly entwine with one another.

**-End Chapter-**

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**So now we see how Ash will be spending quite a bit of his time in Pewter City! Training, Jobs, and spending time with Misty. The Aura thing will be explained in time, but for now speculate and come up with your own theories! I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter and is eagerly looking forward to the next!**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! **

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have eight Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms and Steel Type and Flying Type are two of them. Steel Type already has an OC planned out but Flying Type does not!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	8. Pewter City Gym

**Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with a new chapter of Aura Heart Journey! This chapter we see Ash challenge the Pewter City Gym! But first he has to wait for another Trainer, an Ace Level, to finish their challenge first! **

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**Chapter 8 – Pewter City Gym**

Today was the day, nine days had passed since Ash and Misty had arrived in Pewter City and Ash had spent almost half the day, every day, using the Training Facility to the fullest. His team had grown well and he couldn't be prouder of his Pokémon. With a deep breath Ash steeled his determination as he stood before the doors to the Pewter Gym.

"Alright, here we go." Ash stated as he looked up at the Gym building. It looked as if the Gym had been carved from a massive boulder originally. But signs of manmade expansions let anyone that looked at the place know that the Gym Leader and his family lived here.

"You'll do fine Ash, I'm sure you'll earn your Boulder Badge." Misty encouraged with a smile. Ash returned the smile appreciating Misty's support.

The two walked into the Gym and into a small lobby area. There were two people standing there already and both looked up when Ash and Misty came through the doors. The first man was older, probably in his late forties, with dark grayish-black hair and narrow eyes. His slightly tan skin hinted at a man who spent a good amount of time outside under the sun. He was wearing a dull yellow work shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders and a pair of dark green work pants. The other person was an older teenage girl, around seventeen or eighteen if Ash had to guess. She had light brown hair down to her shoulders and wore a light grey hoodie and a pair of black capris.

"Yes, can I help you?" The older man questioned as he looked the new duo over.

"I'm here to challenge the Pewter City Gym." Ash replied politely.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait. This young lady has already challenged the Gym." The man informed while the girl gave Ash a small smile as if to say 'Sorry about that'.

"I don't mind waiting if I could still battle today." Ash responded getting a smile from the man.

"If you don't mind battling my eldest son then you can battle right after her match." The man nodded getting a nod from Ash.

"Thank you, sir." Ash bowed slightly happy that he'd get to try and earn his Badge today like he planned.

"Don't worry about it, young man. The name's Flint, I'm the Pewter City Gym Leader. Once Miss…" Flint trailed off realizing he didn't yet know his challenger's name.

"Reena, Reena Natsuho, sir." Reena informed Flint with a smile and small bow.

"Right, once Miss Natsuho and I finish our battle you can battle my eldest son Brock. He's the Secondary Gym Leader here and he should be able to pull himself away from his Pokémon Doctor studies long enough to give you a match." Flint informed Ash who gave a nod of understanding.

"Sounds good to me, sir!" Ash grinned. He may not be able to battle the Primary Gym Leader but Secondary Gym Leaders often took over for the Primary Gym Leader when they weren't able to have matches for one reason or another. It was a system designed to keep the Gym running and allow more challengers to take on the Gym. Since a Secondary Gym Leader still had to have all of the same qualifications as the Primary Gym Leader it would still be a hard earned Badge regardless of which one any challenger faced.

"Excellent, now Miss Natsuho what is your Trainer Level?" Flint asked as he led the trio of teens into the Gym and towards the large rocky battlefield.

"I'm an Ace Level, sir; ranked up just two months ago." Reena informed as she took her spot in the challenger's box. Ash and Misty quickly made their way up the stairs that led to the spectator's seats. Noticing a few younger kids already sitting down and facing the field, all of them with a strong resemblance to Flint, Ash and Misty correctly surmised that these were some of Flint's kids that had come to watch their father's battle. Quickly sitting down the two prepared to watch how an Ace Level Trainer dealt with a Gym Battle.

"Ace Level huh? Well then that's a Four versus Four match here at the Pewter Gym. Is that acceptable?" Flint asked as he went over to a small computer attached to the wall behind the Gym Leader's box.

"Wouldn't expect anything less, sir!" Reena grinned as she pulled a Pokeball off her belt and expanded it. Flint chuckled at the Ace Trainer's enthusiasm as a drawer opened up from beneath the computer holding four Pokeballs. These four Pokémon should easily push any Ace Level to their absolute limit. With a smile at his partner's Pokeballs he picked up the four balls and attached three of them to his belt while palming the last one. A referee walked out of a door to the side of the field. The man quickly straightened his shirt and pulled out a remote. A quick button press and dozens of cameras around the room came to life and started shining lights down on the battlefield.

"This is an official Pokémon League Gym Battle. The Challenger is Reena Natsuho from Orchid Town. This will be a Four on Four battle, the first Trainer to have all four Pokémon rendered unable to battle loses. Additionally only the Challenger may substitute Pokémon. Are you ready to begin?" The referee went through the standard League pre-battle announcement before turning and asking Reena if she was ready.

"Orchid Town, huh? That's on the Kanto side of the Tohjo Falls. I wouldn't be surprised if she's travelled in Johto as well." Misty whispered to Ash.

"How do you know where that place is?" Ash whispered back.

"There are a lot of good fishing spots just south of Orchid Town." Misty stated with a grin getting a chuckle from Ash. Of course that would be how Misty knew about a smaller town like that. The two quickly turned their attention back to the battlefield when they heard the referee shout 'Begin!'.

"As the Gym Leader I'll reveal my Pokémon first. Come on out!" Flint called as he tossed the Pokeball he'd been holding. In a flash of white light a red and white shell with holes in it appeared on the field. From the holes emerged four long yellow tentacles and then a head of similar shape came out of the hole on top of the shell.

"Shuck!" called out the newly revealed Pokémon.

"I wasn't expecting that." Ash stated as he pulled out his Pokedex.

"I really don't like bugs." Misty shivered as she moved closer to Ash unconsciously, making Ash's cheeks heat up a bit in response.

"Shuckle, the Mold Pokémon, Shuckle quietly hides itself under rocks, keeping its body concealed inside its hard shell while eating berries it has stored away. The berries stored in its jar-like shell eventually become a thick, pulpy juice with medicinal properties." The Pokedex intoned.

"Been a while since I've seen a Shuckle." Reena commented before tossing her own Pokeball. "Come on out, Quagsire!" From the ball appeared a large blue colored Pokémon with small eyes and an overall slow demeanor. It stood on two legs and had a thick tail dragging the ground behind it.

"Sire…" Quagsire yawned out as it locked eyes with the Shuckle across from it.

"It's so cute!" Misty quietly squealed at the sight of the Water/Ground Type. Ash smiled at seeing her so excited before turning his Pokedex onto Quagsire.

"Quagsire, the Water Fish Pokémon, It has a sluggish nature. It lies at the river's bottom, waiting for prey to stray into its mouth. This carefree Pokémon's easygoing nature is displayed while swimming as it often bumps into boat hulls." The Pokedex informed.

"First move is yours." Flint stated as he watched his opponent.

"Thanks!" Reena replied before turning serious. "Quagsire, use Yawn!"

Quagsire yawned widely its mouth almost a perfect circle from how wide it was opened. A white cloud emerged and rushed towards Shuckle before enveloping the Bug/Rock Type. When the cloud dissipated Shuckle yawned and looked sleepy.

"Not bad! Shuckle, use Toxic!" Flint called getting a tired reply from Shuckle as it hurled a thick purple sludge at Quagsire nailing the Water/Ground Type and causing a sickly purple sheen to appear on the Pokémon's face.

"Darn it, I should have seen that coming." Reena berated herself. "Quagsire use Earthquake!"

"Quag!" Quagsire exclaimed as it slammed its tail onto the arena floor sending out a shockwave that started making the ground shake and crack. Shuckle, unable to dodge a widespread attack, was bounced around by the tremors until the move finished.

"Alright, now Shuckle should be falling asleep any second." Reena grinned only to stare in frustration as the Bug/Rock Type pulled a blue and white berry from within its shell and ate it. Shuckle's lethargy and tired appearance went away in a matter of seconds.

"Sorry, but putting my Pokémon to sleep is a pretty common tactic so I've prepared a counter measure!" Flint called out with a smirk.

"Freaking Chesto Berry!" Reena growled before noticing Quagsire flinch as the poison worked through its body. "We aren't going down without a fight! Use Scald!"

"Stealth Rock!" Flint called out. Shuckle immediately sent a wave of energy into the ground. A multitude of rocks suddenly lifted up around Reena's side of the field and hovered ominously. Quagsire launched the boiling hot water of the Scald attack at Shuckle soaking the slow Pokémon and causing it to cry out in pain.

"Sandstorm!" Flint called another move. With a rapid movement of its tentacles Shuckle whipped up a Sandstorm on the battlefield lowering visibility and dealing damage to any Pokémon that wasn't at least part Rock, Ground, or Steel Type.

"That won't work on Quagsire! He's part Ground Type!" Reena called out over the wind of the Sandstorm.

"Not the point!" Flint yelled back. "Shuckle, Power Trick!"

"Shuckle!" Shuckle called out as a bright glow appeared inside the Sandstorm before dying down.

"Oh no you don't!" Reena called out knowing Quagsire wouldn't be able to handle getting hit by a Power Trick using Shuckle when it had already been dealing with the Toxic poisoning. "Earthquake!" Another tremor shook the area as Quagsire unleashed the move.

"Protect!" Flint called out before the shaking started. When no cry of pain came from Shuckle inside the Sandstorm Flint smiled while Reena grit her teeth. "Stone Edge!" A sudden crash from within the swirling sand followed by a loud cry from Quagsire let everyone watching know the move had landed. Quagsire was launched out of the Sandstorm and landed a few feet from Reena with swirling eyes clearly fainted.

"Quagsire is unable to battle! Winner of the first round is Shuckle!" The referee announced before looking towards Reena. "Challenger send out your next Pokémon."

"Oh man! Sorry Quagsire, take a good rest buddy." Reena sighed as she recalled her Pokémon in a beam of red light. "That's a pretty nice strategy, Flint! Too bad I'm about to tear it apart!"

"Talk is cheap, young lady!" Flint called back over the wind from the still raging Sandstorm.

"Starmie, come on out!" Reena called out releasing her own purple Starfish Pokémon.

"Look at the size of it!" Misty exclaimed amazed since Reena's Starmie was just under double the size of her own.

"Starmie, Rapid Spin!" Reena ordered as the large Water Type quickly started spinning. The floating rocks from the earlier Stealth Rock suddenly slammed together onto Starmie causing damage. But within seconds they all shattered as Starmie spun out of the debris like a giant shuriken. Without losing a bit of speed Starmie spun straight through the Sandstorm and struck Shuckle knocking the Bug/Rock Type back to the edge of the battlefield. Normally a Normal Type move like Rapid Spin wouldn't do much to a Shuckle since the species was known for having ridiculously high Defensive stats. But since Shuckle had swapped its abysmal Attack stat for its incredible Defense stat that left Shuckle without much Defense to be able to take an attack like Rapid Spin.

"Shuck!" Shuckle cried out as it was sent reeling from the attack.

"Ice Beam!" Reena called out another attack. Without hesitation Starmie launched the freezing ray of Ice Type aura. The Ice Beam slammed into Shuckle pressing the Bug/Rock Type into the floor before encasing it in ice. The Sandstorm died down shortly afterward revealing to everyone that Shuckle had fainted while frozen.

"Shuckle is unable to battle! Winner is Starmie!" The referee announced before turning to Flint. "Gym Leader send out your next Pokémon!"

"You did good Shuckle, have a nice rest." Flint thanked his Pokémon as he returned it in a beam of red light. "I hope you don't think mere Type advantage will win this for you! Time for battle, Golem!" From the bright white light emerged a ball of rock with a reptilian-like head and limbs. The ground shook from the impact of Golem landing on the battlefield.

"Let's start this off fast! Golem, Rock Polish!" Flint called out. Golem responded by tucking its limbs and head into its stone body and spinning in place. A red glow appeared around the spinning ball showing a large increase in Speed.

"Starmie don't give it a chance! Hit it with Brine!" Reena called out. Starmie launched a torrent of water at the still spinning Golem.

"Not happening! Defense Curl into Rollout!" Flint exclaimed. Golem glowed again showing an increase to its Defense before it shot off into Rollout completely avoiding Starmie's attack.

"Holy crap that's fast for a Rock Type!" Reena shouted before seeing Golem closing in on her Starmie. "Rapid Spin to dodge, then Ice Beam!" Starmie spun out of the way of Golem's rolling body before launching the freezing beam at the Rock/Ground Type.

"Rock Polish again!" Flint gave another command. Golem's rolling body glowed again before it suddenly swerved, dodging the Ice Beam and rapidly closing in on Starmie. "Steamroller!" Flint called and Golem's body was covered in a light green glow before it plowed into Starmie sending the Water/Psychic Type into the dirt.

"What kind of attack was that?!" Reena questioned as she saw the large amount of damage her Starmie had taken.

"Steamroller is a Bug Type attack, pretty effective against Psychic Types like your Starmie." Flint explained.

"Starmie use Recover!" Reena called out. Starmie began glowing as its injuries slowly began to disappear.

"Too slow!" Flint admonished. "Steamroller!" Golem, glowing green once again, quickly slammed into the healing Starmie and rolled right over it. When Starmie was able to be seen again it was flattened into the battlefield and its red core was blinking.

"Starmie is unable to battle! Winner is Golem!" The referee announced before turning to Reena. "Challenger send out your next Pokémon!"

"You did great Starmie, return." Reena praised her Pokémon as she recalled it into its Pokeball. "We'll match power with power! Nidoqueen, let's rock!" The large blue and beige female of the Nidoran species appeared on the battlefield with a roar as she stared down Golem who'd returned to standing in front of Flint.

"Power is good, but you're forgetting my Golem still has his speed!" Flint stated before calling out to Golem. "Rollout and keep upping the power!" With a grunt Golem tucked itself back into a ball and tore across the battlefield at breakneck speed.

"You won't even get close!" Reena yelled. "Earth Power!" The entire battlefield between Golem and Nidoqueen erupted into a shower of dirt and rock as Nidoqueen pumped a huge amount of Ground Type aura into the field. Golem was launched into the air flailing around out of control. "Sludge Bomb!" Nidoqueen quickly spat out a dark purple ball of sludge that smacked into Golem's airborne body. The large Rock/Ground Type slammed into the field raising a dust cloud.

"Golem! Are you alright?!" Flint called to his Pokémon. Golem emerged from the dust scraped up and injured but still able to fight. But the deep purple tint on the Rock/Ground Type Pokémon let everyone see that it had been poisoned.

"Now we just have to keep it down while the poison whittles away Golem's health." Reena cheered getting a roar from her Nidoqueen.

"Golem use Earthquake!" Flint ordered getting a growl from Golem as it lifted its foot to slam it down and unleash the move.

"Attract!" Reena called out. Flint visibly flinched at hearing the attack. Nidoqueen winked at Golem sending out a barrage of heart shaped rays that struck the Rock/Ground Type. Golem's eyes turned into hearts as it aborted its attack and started walking towards Nidoqueen in a daze.

"No! Golem don't be fooled!" Flint called out to his infatuated Pokémon. Golem's only response was to flinch as the poison continued to work through its body.

"Sorry big guy, but I don't think your Nidoqueen's type!" Reena giggled before calling out her next attack. "Venoshock!" Nidoqueen launched the stream of poison at the love struck Golem sending the large Pokémon sprawling. When Golem finally stopped rolling it was revealed with swirls in its eyes.

"Golem is unable to battle! The winner is Nidoqueen!" The referee announced before turning to Flint. "Gym Leader send out your next Pokémon!"

"Good work buddy, take a nap." Flint smiled as he returned his Golem and turned to face Reena. "You're doing well so far. But let's see how your powerhouse deals with mine! Rhyperior, come on out!" In another flash of light a large brown Pokémon covered in orange rock plates appeared with a tremendous roar.

"Perior!" Rhyperior roared out as it stared down the Nidoqueen before it.

"Ready to take it down, Nidoqueen?" Reena asked her Pokémon getting a roar in return. "Attract!" Nidoqueen winked sending the heart shaped rays forth at Rhyperior.

"Rock Blast!" Flint called out. Rhyperior raised its arms and launched rocks towards the incoming hearts dispersing them. "Swords Dance!" Rhyperior began thrashing around while a red glow covered it, raising its Attack significantly.

"Sludge Bomb!" Reena called out. Nidoqueen launched the ball of sludge only for Rhyperior to launch another Rock Blast at Flint's command dispersing the attack before it could reach his Pokémon. "Earthquake!" Nidoqueen slammed her feet into the battlefield sending shockwaves and tremors in all directions.

"Drill Run!" Flint called. Rhyperior made a large leap and began rotating its large horn. The Earthquake passed underneath the now airborne Pokémon and Rhyperior landed the super effective attack against Nidoqueen sending the Poison/Ground Type sprawling.

"Nidoqueen won't go down without giving you some damage!" Reena assured getting a weakened roar from her Pokémon. "Hyper Beam!" Nidoqueen gathered a large amount of power into her jaw forming a bright orange sphere.

"Rock Wrecker!" Flint called out looking to overwhelm the Hyper Beam with a move of greater power, at least greater when performed by a Rock Type. Nidoqueen unleashed the Hyper Beam just as Rhyperior launched the mass of Rock Type aura at her. The two attacks collided and a massive blast rocked the Gym. It took almost a full minute for the dust to settle enough that the Pokémon could be seen again. Nidoqueen was fainted on the ground while Rhyperior, covered in dust and with a few singe marks on its armored hide, roared out its victory.

"Nidoqueen is unable to battle! The winner is Rhyperior!" The referee announced before turning to Reena. "Challenger send out your final Pokémon!"

"You did great Nidoqueen, take a good rest." Reena thanked her Pokémon before pulling out her last Pokeball. "Your Rhyperior might be strong but we'll take you down! Venusaur, let's go!" The final evolution of the Bulbasaur line appeared on the battlefield with a cry of challenge to the large Rhyperior.

"I've dealt with more than enough Grass Types in my time! Rhyperior let's show them!" Flint exclaimed getting a roar from his Pokémon.

"Venusaur use Sleep Powder!" Reena called out. Venusaur shook its flower sending a huge cloud of spores towards Rhyperior.

"Rock Blast then Earthquake!" Flint called out. Rhyperior blasted rocks through the cloud of Sleep Powder dispersing it before it could reach. Then a massive stomp on the ground set the Gym to shaking once again.

"Leech Seed!" Reena called out. Venusaur managing to fire off the parasitic seed just before the Earthquake hit it nearly upending the large Grass Type. The Leech Seed landed on Rhyperior's large armor clad chest before quickly sprouting vines that wrapped around the large Pokémon. Within a scant few seconds the seed was far too entangled to be removed and small flecks of aura were being drawn from Rhyperior and sent towards the recovering Venusaur.

"We'll have to finish this soon! Let's take Venusaur down with one shot! Rhyperior, use Mega Horn!" Flint called getting a resounding roar from his Pokémon. A huge amount of aura quickly filled the large horn on its head making it glow brightly. Rhyperior charged forward at surprising speed for a Pokémon so large but Reena smiled at the incoming attack.

"Grass Knot!" Reena declared getting a cry from Venusaur as plants quickly grew from the battlefield and wrapped around Rhyperior's feet. The large Rock/Ground Type tripped and slammed into the ground so hard that the Gym shook as if another Earthquake had been unleashed. "Finish it with Giga Drain!" Reena called out.

"Saur!" Venusaur responded as green energy tendrils came from its leaves and flower and encircled the downed Rhyperior. The large Pokémon let out a pained growl as the rest of its health and energy were sucked away and used to restore Venusaur to full health.

"Rhyperior is unable to battle! The winner is Venusaur!" The referee announced again before turning to Flint. "Gym Leader send out your last Pokémon!"

"Didn't see that coming, sorry about that my friend." Flint apologized to his Pokémon as he recalled it from the field.

"Just one more, Venusaur! Let's do this!" Reena cheered her Pokémon on getting a happy growl from Venusaur. The fact that the Ace Level Trainer had sweat practically pouring down her face from the speed and intensity of the battle wasn't lost on either Ash or Misty.

"We'll see about that! This last Pokémon will be the hardest for you to deal with in your situation!" Flint claimed as he tossed his last Pokeball. "Come on out, Magcargo!" From the Pokeball emerged a snail made of what appeared to be living magma with a rocky shell on its back.

"Mag…" Magcargo drawled out slowly. It looked over its opponent carefully before its eyes took on a serious glint.

"Venusaur use Sleep Powder!" Reena called hoping to put the Rock/Fire Type to sleep before it could start spitting fire everywhere.

"Burn it away with Lave Plume!" Flint responded as Magcargo released a burst of lava from its body that torched the Sleep Powder. The Lava Plume attack dispersed to show Magcargo slowly moving forward to try and close distance with Venusaur.

"Venusaur don't have the body type to dodge very well. So you're trying to get close enough so we can't dodge, right?" Reena questioned as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"I don't need to get too close." Flint grinned. "Flame Burst!" Magcargo launched the ball of flames at Venusaur. The Fire Type attack hit the large Grass Type and exploded sending embers raining down around Reena's side of the battlefield.

"Venusaur isn't the only one that's not suited for dodging though!" Reena proclaimed as she called out her final attack. "Earthquake!"

"What!" Flint shouted in shock. He'd never faced a Venusaur that could use Earthquake before!

"Saur!" Venusaur roared as it lifted up its front legs before slamming them into the ground. Once again the Gym was rocked with tremors as the ground shook and cracked.

"Magcargo, Flame Burst again! Take it out!" Flint called hurriedly. Magcargo just managed to launch the attack before the Earthquake struck it doing four times the usual damage because of Magcargo's Typing. Needless to say it was an instant knockout for the fire snail. The last Flame Burst still hit Venusaur sending embers raining again and causing the Grass Type to collapse. As the dust and smoke cleared the referee looked on closely ready to make the call of double knock out if necessary.

"Synthesis!" Reena's call came out followed by a weak response from Venusaur. Everyone watched on as Venusaur became visible, the Grass Type was clearly struggling to get up but it performed the move its Trainer requested. Slowly a green light enveloped Venusaur and some of its worst injuries began to fade. After the move ended the Grass Type was able to stand again with some visible effort.

"Magcargo is unable to battle! The winner is Venusaur!" The referee announced while raising his hand towards Reena. "The Challenger Reena Natusho wins the battle!"

"Heck yeah! We did it Venusaur!" Reena cheered as she rushed over to her Pokémon and hugged the large Grass Type who nuzzled her in return.

"Magcargo, return." Flint smiled as he recalled his Pokémon. His friends had put up a hell of a battle and he couldn't be prouder of them. He smiled as he walked over to Reena and her Venusaur. "Congratulations on your victory, Miss Natsuho. I'd like to present you with your proof of victory here at the Pewter City Gym. This is your Boulder Badge." Flint stated as he held out an open case with a single Boulder Badge lying in the center.

"Thank you, Mr. Flint." Reena smiled as she picked up the Boulder Badge. With a grin she pulled out a Badge Case from her hoodie and opened it. Ash wasn't able to get a look at which Badges she had but he could count six other individual shapes in the Ace Trainer's case. Reena placed the Boulder Badge into the case and took a second to admire it before closing her case and putting it back into her hoodie.

"As per standard you also get a TM Voucher for one free Rock Type TM of your choice at any Training Facility." Flint grinned as he handed Reena the voucher. This was the secondary reward any victorious Trainer received when they beat a Gym, A TM Voucher for any move of that Gym's Type. This was often more than enough incentive for Trainers with a high Level to challenge multiple Gyms, since it allowed them to teach rare moves to their Pokémon.

"Alright!" Reena cheered as she carefully placed the voucher into her hoodie next to her Badge Case.

"I have to admit you surprised me with your Venusaur knowing Earthquake. I haven't seen that before." Flint chuckled as Reena smiled while rubbing her Venusaur's head softly.

"Yeah, it cost us a pretty PokeYen, but TMs are great for getting unusual moves taught to your Pokémon." Reena giggled as she pulled out Venusaur's Pokeball and returned the large Grass Type. With a bow towards Flint the Ace Trainer excused herself and headed out the door to get her Pokémon treated at the Pokémon Center. The amount of damage they'd taken from the Gym Battle would see them recuperating for three or four days before they were back to full health even with the Center's treatment. But such was the power and challenge of a Gym. It would make or break a Trainer when they challenged it. Many aspiring Trainers eventually hit a wall when challenging Gyms and could never move past it. Others would continually try and try until they finally became strong enough to be victorious. These were the Trainers that would one day stand among the Elite Level and be an inspiration for future Trainers.

"So, young man, are you ready for your own challenge?" Flint asked as he looked up at Ash in the spectator's seats. Ash could feel his pulse race and hear his heartbeat in his ears as he nodded and made his way down to the battlefield. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and into Misty's lap while giving an encouraging cry of 'Pikapi!'.

"I'm ready." Ash stated with determination.

"Good, you've got conviction, you'll need that. My son's no push over after all!" Flint chuckled as he walked through a door out of the battlefield to get his eldest son. Ash could only stand and give the referee his name and hometown while he waited. He and his Pokémon had trained hard for this day, they were ready and Ash refused to fail them. In a few short minutes Flint returned with an older teen, or possibly twenty year old, following him. Once again the young man had a strong resemblance to Flint and Ash surmised this was Brock when he walked over to the computer behind the Gym Leader's box.

"My name is Brock. I'm currently studying to become a Pokémon Doctor. I'm also the Secondary Leader here at Pewter City Gym. What's your name and Trainer Level?" Brock asked as he looked over at Ash with a smile.

"My name is Ash Ketchum and I'm Beginner Level, I just started about two weeks ago so this is my first Gym Challenge." Ash told him as he stood in the challenger's box.

"Beginner Level, I see and already challenging a Gym? You've definitely got the drive of a Trainer! We do Two on Two matches for Beginners at the Pewter Gym. Is that alright with you?" Brock asked as he typed on the small computer.

"That's fine with me!" Ash nodded as he pulled his first Pokeball off his belt and expanded it. Brock smiled back as the drawer opened up from beneath the computer holding two Pokeballs this time. 'These two should be able to push a Beginner Level beyond their normal skills.' Brock mused as he picked up both Pokeballs. The referee took his position on the side of the field. The man quickly turned the cameras on again to record the battle for League records.

"This is an official Pokémon League Gym Battle. The Challenger is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. This will be a Two on Two battle, the first Trainer to have both Pokémon rendered unable to battle loses. Additionally only the Challenger may substitute Pokémon. Are you both ready to begin?" The referee once again went through the standard League pre-battle announcement before turning to Ash and asking if he was ready.

"Since I'm the Gym Leader I'll reveal my Pokémon first. Let's go, Geodude!" Brock called as he tossed the first Pokeball. In a flash of white light a round rock-like Pokémon with two large arms appeared. It flexed its arms and gave a grin as it looked towards Ash.

"Geodude!" The Rock/Ground Type called out.

"I thought I might be facing a Geodude today." Ash stated before tossing his own Pokeball. "Come on out, Riolu!" From the ball appeared the familiar blue and black colored Fighting Type. Upon noticing his opponent Riolu immediately took up a fighting stance.

"Rio!" Riolu called out in challenge to Geodude.

"You can make the first move, Ash." Brock offered.

"Alright then, Riolu use Bulk Up!" Ash called getting a bark from Riolu as the Fighting Type flexed his muscles and was enveloped in a reddish-orange glow.

"Geodude, Defense Curl into Rollout." Brock ordered getting an instant reaction from his Geodude as it wrapped its arms around its body. Geodude glowed red for a moment signaling the rise in its Defense before it shot off in a roll towards Riolu.

"Riolu use Quick Attack to dodge then another Bulk Up!" Ash instructed. Riolu moved out of Geodude's path in a streak of white aura before flexing and raising its Attack and Defense again.

"You know Rollout only gets stronger the longer it goes on, right?" Brock questioned as Geodude picked up more speed and barreled straight at Riolu.

"Yeah, I know, but I know my Riolu can stop it too!" Ash stated confidently. "Use Quick Attack to get beside Geodude and then use Force Palm!" Riolu rushed towards the incoming Geodude before swerving to the side and slamming its palm against the spinning Pokémon. A blast of Fighting Type aura sent Geodude bouncing across the field. "Alright! Great job Riolu!" Ash cheered for his Pokémon.

"Don't get too excited yet, Ash!" Brock grinned as Geodude quickly pulled itself upright showing it had only take a bit of damage from the super effective hit. "Rollout can be a fairly good defense since Geodude is spinning so fast. The rotation negates a good amount of force."

"Then we'll just have to give it a good solid hit then! Riolu, Quick Attack and Force Palm!" Ash replied getting Riolu to blitz towards Geodude.

"Bulldoze!" Brock called out. Geodude slammed its fists into the ground sending out a tremor that sent Riolu stumbling. Riolu picked himself up just in time to hear Brock's next call. "Magnitude!"

"Jump!" Ash yelled in panic not knowing exactly how powerful this particular Magnitude would be because of the moves fluctuating power output. Riolu put the strength training from the Facility to good use as it leapt almost fifteen feet straight up. The ground shook with the force of Magnitude but it completely missed the airborne Riolu. "Copycat!" Ash called planning to turn Brock's move against his Geodude. Riolu glowed white for a moment as it descended towards the ground. As soon as Riolu landed a shockwave shook the battlefield sending Geodude reeling.

"Geodude!" Brock called out in worry. Geodude struggled to pick itself up before it collapsed with swirls in its eyes.

"Geodude is unable to battle! The winner is Riolu!" The referee announced before turning to Brock. "Gym Leader send out your final Pokémon!"

"Return Geodude, you did great." Brock thanked his Pokémon as he recalled it. "Not bad Ash, but let's see how you deal with this!" Brock tossed his next Pokeball and a large Onix appeared on the battlefield with a roar.

"Riolu, can you still go on?" Ash asked his Fighting Type getting an affirmative bark. "Alright then let's hit him before he can move! Quick Attack into Force Palm!" Riolu once again rushed forward leaving a streak of white aura behind him as he powered up a Force Palm.

"Rock Tomb!" Brock called out and with a slam of its tail on the ground Onix complied. Rocks suddenly shot up from the field and slammed Riolu between them stopping the Fighting Type's charge. "Dragon Breath!" A glowing greenish flame appeared in Onix's mouth before being unleashed on the trapped Riolu. The Dragon Type attack was so strong it shattered the rocks holding Riolu and sent the Fighting Type across the field to land near Ash. Riolu had fainted and was completely still from the hit it had taken.

"Oh man, Riolu!" Ash called out as he walked over to his Pokémon. "You're going to be all right buddy. We'll get you to the Pokémon Center as soon as this battle is over." Ash promised as he recalled Riolu into his Pokeball.

"Riolu is unable to battle! The winner is Onix!" The referee announced again before turning to look at Ash. "Challenger send out your last Pokémon!"

"You're up, Skiddo!" Ash called out sending his Grass Type into battle. Skiddo appeared with a strong bleat of challenge towards the large Onix.

"Haven't seen one of those in person before." Brock commented before calling out his attack. "Dragon Breath!" The glowing greenish flame appeared in Onix's mouth again before being fired at the Grass Type.

"Dodge it and fire back with Razor Leaf!" Ash called as Skiddo took off at impressive speed while dodging the Dragon Breath. With a cry Skiddo sent a barrage of Razor Leaf at the large Rock Snake Pokémon.

"Gyro Ball!" Brock called out getting Onix to spin while taking on a metallic sheen. The Razor Leaf was scattered without doing much damage to Onix. "You'll have to do better than that, Ash!" The Gym Leader stated. "Use Rock Throw!" Onix roared as it sent a barrage of rocks towards Skiddo.

"Smack them away with Vine Whip!" Ash instructed as Skiddo unleashed its vines and batted all the rocks away. "Leech Seed!" The parasitic seed was fired like a bullet at the Rock/Ground Type and landed just below Onix's head. Within a few seconds Onix's head was covered in multiple vines that were starting to send small orbs of aura towards Skiddo.

"Grab it with Bind!" Brock called out and before Skiddo could react Onix's tail had wrapped around the Goat Pokémon and started squeezing.

"Skid!" Skiddo cried out getting a worried shout from Ash.

"Dragon Breath!" Brock called again and Skiddo was bathed in the green flames of the Dragon Type attack.

"Skiddo!" Ash called out in worry. "Synthesis!" When the green flames dissipated it showed an injured Skiddo that was soon enveloped in a green glow as it healed some of its injuries.

"One more Dragon Breath!" Brock called out.

"Razor Leaf!" Ash responded. Skiddo was just fast enough to launch his attack first and nailed Onix in the face. Onix aborted its attack to reel back in pain from the four times effective attack.

"Onix throw it away!" Brock called out in worry for his Pokémon. Onix tossed Skiddo away and tried to put some distance between itself and the Grass Type.

"No you don't! Use Vine Whip to hold on then finish it with Razor Leaf!" Ash instructed.

"Skiddo!" Skiddo cried out as it wrapped its vines around Onix's tail keeping itself from being thrown. The Goat Pokémon then unleashed another barrage of Razor Leaf into the Rock Snake's face. With a pained roar Onix collapsed onto the ground shaking the battlefield. When the dust cleared it revealed Onix with swirls in its eyes completely fainted.

"Onix is unable to battle! The winner is Skiddo!" The referee announced while raising his hand towards Ash. "The Challenger Ash Ketchum wins the battle!"

"We did it! You were awesome Skiddo!" Ash cheered as he ran to his Grass Type and hugged it gently.

"Ski!" Skiddo cheered tiredly before slumping down into Ash's arms from its injuries.

"I've got you buddy. Will get you and Riolu the best treatment at the Pokémon Center, I promise." Ash whispered to his Pokémon before he recalled him into his Pokeball.

"Onix, return. You did great." Brock smiled as he recalled his Onix. Geodude and Onix had done a great job and he'd see to their treatment personally. He smiled as he walked over to Ash to present him with his Badge. "Congratulations on your victory, Ash. This is your proof of victory here at the Pewter City Gym, the Boulder Badge." Brock stated as he held out another small case with a single Boulder Badge lying in the center.

"Thanks, Brock it was a great battle." Ash smiled happily as he picked up the Boulder Badge. With a megawatt smile he pulled out the Badge Case he'd gotten from the Pokémon League upon getting his License. Ash placed the Boulder Badge into the first spot and took a second to admire his first Badge before closing the case and putting it into his pocket.

"According to League rules you also get a TM Voucher for one free Rock Type TM of your choice at any Training Facility." Brock grinned as he handed the voucher over to Ash.

"Thank you." Ash bowed slightly as he placed the voucher into his pocket. He had no idea what TM he'd use this voucher for but he was sure he'd find a good use for it eventually.

"I think you've got a bright future ahead of you Ash, I'll look forward to seeing you compete in the Indigo League." Brock nodded.

"That's the plan." Ash nodded back as he turned to head out of the Gym. Misty quickly ran up and walked beside him. Pikachu quickly jumping back onto Ash's shoulder with a cheer. The duo exited the Gym before Misty grabbed Ash in a hug.

"That was great Ash! I knew you could do it!" Misty cheered as Ash smiled while returning the hug. "You know what? To celebrate dinner is on me tonight!" She smiled as Ash laughed and the two walked back to the Pokémon Center in a great mood. Neither even seemed to notice that they were still holding hands as they walked.

**-End Chapter-**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**There it is! Ash has won his first Badge! I hope you all liked seeing the difference in battle between upper Level Trainers and low Level Trainers. Plus Ash and Misty still have celebrating to do next chapter! How do travelling Trainers celebrate exactly? You'll find out next chapter!**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! **

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have eight Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms and Steel Type and Flying Type are two of them. Steel Type already has an OC planned out but Flying Type does not!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	9. Celebrating Victory!

**Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with a new chapter of Aura Heart Journey! This chapter we see Ash and Misty celebrate his win at the Pewter City Gym! How exactly do travelling Trainers celebrate? With a big outdoor party! Music, Food, Drinks, Dancing, and if their up for some Sexy Time! Woo! **

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**Thanks to my patron Uber Ghidorah, check him out here on Fanfiction, and his Original Character submission I now have two Original Character Gym Leaders planned out! Ash will be meeting the Ghostly Gym Leader, Noe, in Lavender Town to try and earn the Fear Badge!**

**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

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**Chapter 9 – Celebrating Victory!**

Ash and Misty walked hand in hand down the street, neither realizing that they hadn't let go of each other's hand, a quick stop by the Pokémon Center to get Ash's Riolu and Skiddo started on their recovery and the two Trainers were out the door again. Pikachu had opted to stay with Skiddo and Riolu and Nurse Joy had smiled and taken the Electric Type into the back along with Riolu and Skiddo's Pokeballs. Ash happily walked with Misty heading to where she was taking them for dinner still high off his first Gym victory and earning his first Badge. Misty was ecstatic for Ash's first win and planned to not only pay for his dinner but take him to an event she'd heard about while at the Training Facility. Eventually they found a nice restaurant that served a variety of foods and quickly sat down to order. A waitress came over promptly to serve them and asked what they'd like to drink.

"I'll have some soda, please." Misty told the waitress who nodded while writing it down and then turning towards Ash for his drink.

"The same for me." Ash said while the waitress nodded writing it down. After the waitress left to get their sodas both Ash and Misty looked over the menu while chatting. The waitress returned with their sodas a minute later and asked if they had decided on their meals.

"I'll have the Magikarp fillet with broccoli and white rice, plus a house salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing." Misty ordered as the waitress wrote it down. The waitress then turned to Ash for his order.

"I'll have the Grumpig pork chops with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables, please." Ash said getting a nod from the waitress. After the waitress left the two made small talk about their travel plans after leaving Pewter City; about fifteen minutes later their meals were placed in front of them. Ash and Misty thanked the waitress and began eating. Between bites the two chatted more about the route they'd take through Kanto. After the two had finished their meal and declined dessert, Misty paid the bill and the two left the restaurant.

"Follow me Ash, there's another place I want to take you to celebrate!" Misty exclaimed as she grasped his wrist and started leading Ash towards the southwest corner of Pewter City. After about fifteen minutes of walking and Misty refusing to tell him where they were going Ash realized they were near a cleared area next to a local park. This area was usually reserved for events like outdoor concerts and the like. Misty grinned and winked at him when music started reaching their ears. Neither of the two Trainers realized that they'd started holding hands again shortly after they'd started walking.

The two approached the entrance to the area where the music was coming from. Ash couldn't keep the huge smile off his face as he looked around at all the Trainers hanging out and partying. There had to be fifty or sixty people just having a good time, dancing, eating, drinking, and flirting. Ash had heard of these kinds of parties while in school. They usually started when a group of travelling Trainers got together and decided to relax and cut loose. Other Trainers in the Pokémon Center or Training Facility would hear about it and ask to join. Before long a group of fifty or sixty Trainers would be pooling funds to buy food and drinks and setting up somewhere in town to party.

"You surprised?" Misty asked with a grin.

"Yeah! How'd you know this was happening tonight?" Ash asked as he looked around.

"Those two girls at the Facility were talking about it. So I asked about going and they told me the people throwing this party are all Ace Level Trainers so they aren't even asking for anyone that comes to bring anything." Misty smiled as she started scanning the area looking for the organizers. "But it is considered polite to introduce yourself to the organizers before you join the party."

"That makes sense." Ash nodded as he too looked around for the Trainers that funded and set up this party.

"Found them." Misty called out as she pointed to a table set up near a good sized bonfire. All four of the Trainers sitting there were at least sixteen or seventeen with the oldest one of them probably being nineteen years old. The two made their way over to the table and were quickly noticed by the oldest Trainer.

"Hey, you come to party?" The older teen asked with a smile. The other three, another boy and two girls, turned to face Ash and Misty. Ash and Misty both recognized Reena from watching her match at the Gym earlier in the day. Reena smiled back at the two seeing that they recognized her.

"Yep, just wanted to make sure it's ok." Misty replied with a small bow which Ash copied.

"Hell yeah it's ok, have a blast!" The oldest teen exclaimed with a laugh. "We're celebrating Reena's seventh Badge!" Reena cheered as she raised a bottle of beer before taking a drink.

"We're celebrating Ash's first Badge, too." Misty informed with a grin as she bumped Ash's shoulder with hers.

"Really? Well hell yeah, my man! You get that Badge!" The older teen congratulated before standing up. "Hey guys, we've got a Beginner Level that just won his first Badge! Let's welcome him to Rookie Level in style!" The responding cheer from the partying Trainers made Ash blush in embarrassment but with a massive smile on his face.

"I'll drink to that!" The other Ace Level guy cheered as he tipped his own bottle back and chugged the rest.

"You'd drink to anything, Ren." The other girl at the table laughed.

"Hey Sylvia, suck my dick!" Ren growled at the laughing girl.

"Couldn't find it if I wanted too." Sylvia teased back with a smirk.

"Bitch!" Ren grumbled getting another round of laughter from Sylvia. All four of the older teens started laughing shortly afterwards. Ash and Misty couldn't keep the grins off their own faces at the back and forth between Ren and Sylvia.

"So you beat Brock, huh? I thought you looked pretty tough for a Beginner." Reena commented as she reached into a cooler next to the table.

"Thanks." Ash replied with a grin.

"Hey Gaven, I'm giving them some of our beer." Reena informed the oldest Ace Level Trainer.

"Sure thing, drink up you two! This is a night for celebration!" Gaven nodded towards Ash and Misty. Reena handed Misty and Ash a bottle each and the two accepted them. This would be Ash's first time drinking alcohol, the limited adult status a Trainer acquired upon earning their License allowed them to drink, smoke, get a driver's license and even work for various companies. The only thing that a Trainer couldn't do until they were eighteen was enter into any legally binding contract without parental consent. So exclusive business deals like merchandising or things like marriage had to have parental consent before they could be signed off on.

"First time?" Sylvia asked with a knowing look.

"Yeah, just started less than a month ago." Ash confirmed as he held the bottle of beer.

"Well no better time to try it out!" Ren exclaimed as he grabbed himself another bottle. "Watch and learn, buddy!" With a grin Ren swiped the top of the bottle against the edge of the table and knocked off the metal cap. Ash watched as the older teen took the now opened bottle and took a deep drink. "That's how it's done!" Ren cheered as he finished off half the bottle in one shot.

"Let them drink at their own pace you drunk." Sylvia mocked with a lazy grin.

"You're just jealous." Ren snarked back getting an amused eyebrow raise from Sylvia.

"Oh of course, how could I not be?" Sylvia teased getting a tsk from Ren before he quickly put his arm around her waist and pulled the girl into his side.

"You're so gonna get it tonight." Ren growled getting a giggle from Sylvia as she leaned into him and kissed his cheek.

"Looking forward to it." Sylvia purred as she nuzzled into Ren's neck.

"And there they go." Reena rolled her eyes while Gaven chuckled watching the couple mess with each other. "You two should go have your own fun. These two can get a bit handsy when they start drinking." Ash and Misty nodded as they headed off to find a place to enjoy the party. After a minute the two found a place a few meters from another bonfire. Sitting down they both cracked open their beers and looked at each other.

"Have you drank before, Misty?" Ash questioned his friend curiously.

"A few times, I'm not a regular drinker but I won't turn a few drinks down at a party." Misty responded as she tapped their bottles together. "Cheers."

"Cheers." Ash grinned before taking his first sip. It wasn't what Ash was expecting. The taste wasn't bad but nothing he'd drink everyday if given the opportunity. A few more drinks like this and he'd probably understand why most people enjoyed alcohol though. Looking over at Misty she'd taken a larger pull from her bottle and was grinning at him.

"Drink up Ash it's a party after all." Misty teased getting Ash to chuckle as he took another drink. Ash watched all the other Trainers as they mingled and chatted. The music playing had several of them dancing with each other. The dancing was basically club dancing and Ash saw several dancers grinding on their dance partners.

"You wanna dance?" Misty asked noticing where Ash was looking.

"Like that?" Ash asked as he gestured towards the dancers with his almost empty beer bottle.

"Why not?" Misty grinned though she definitely had a blush on her face.

"Should we get another drink while we're up?" Ash questioned getting a nod from Misty. The two finished off their first bottles and put them in the recycling can that was next to the table full of coolers with cold beers in them. They each grabbed a new bottle and opened them as they made their way over to the dancing Trainers.

"I'm not much of a dancer." Ash warned as he took a drink.

"This type of dance doesn't require much skill." Misty smirked as she pressed herself against him. Ash started for a second before leaning into her. The two slowly began to move to the beat together getting more comfortable over time. Ash took a large drink of his beer before pressing himself into Misty as they moved. Misty grinned at him as she moved up against him in return. A few minutes later Misty had finished her bottle and Ash had his arms around her waist as she grinded her ass against his crotch. Misty snatched Ash's bottle from his hand and downed the remainder of the beer.

"Hey!" Ash growled as he pulled her tighter against him. Misty giggled as she reached over her shoulder and placed her hand on the back of Ash's neck.

"We can get you another one." Misty giggled as she ground herself more strongly against him. She didn't expect Ash to suddenly lean down and kiss her cheek. The blush that engulfed her face would probably be glowing if the party wasn't lit up by the multiple bonfires. "Ash?" She questioned turning her head to look at him.

"Hmm?" Ash murmured as he looked back at her.

"What was that for?" Misty asked as they slowed their dancing a bit.

"Just wanted to." Ash stated as a blush slowly formed on his face as he realized what he'd done.

"Do it again." Misty requested her own blush not fading.

"'Kay." Ash grinned as he kissed her cheek again. Misty smiled at him as she started to speed up the pace of their dancing again. Ash groaned at her actions as he knew Misty could definitely feel what she was doing to him. The two continued dancing until the current song stopped before reluctantly separating so they could get another drink. After tossing their old bottles and getting new ones they quickly returned to the dancing group and resumed their dance with each other.

"You're thinking something naughty aren't you Ash?" Misty questioned as she ground into him feeling his reaction to her body.

"No!" Ash instantly replied his face red. Misty giggled before pressing herself against him completely.

"Are you sure?" Misty teased. "It certainly feels that way."

"Misty!" Ash groaned at her teasing but still pressing himself into her in return.

"What?" Misty asked coyly loving the teasing she was doing. She hadn't expected to meet a guy like Ash while she was away from Viridian City fishing. But she couldn't deny that she'd developed quite the strong feelings for the guy whose arms were currently wrapped around her.

"Tease." Ash growled lowly as he gently turned her head and pressed their lips together. Misty gasped before pressing her lips back against Ash's. The two both enjoyed the sensation of their first kiss together. Slowly pulling away they caught each other's eyes and smiled at each other. "Again?" Ash asked teasingly.

"You better." Misty demanded with half lidded eyes as she pulled him into another kiss. They slowly moved against each other as they kissed both feeling warm and excited. Without any warning both teens felt their Auras rise and practically wrap around their entwined bodies.

"Ash?" Misty questioned as she felt her Aura moving against his.

"Yeah?" Ash asked basking in the feeling of his Aura mingling with Misty's.

"Is this what I think it is?" Misty asked hopefully as she pressed herself against Ash until there wasn't any space between their bodies.

"I think so." Ash replied with a smile as he looked into her eyes. "Our Auras just entwined." Misty practically squealed in happiness as she kissed him again. Ash pressed his lips against Misty's as they moved slowly together their Auras still strongly flaring against each other and intermingling.

"I love this." Misty mumbled into his ear as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"It's amazing." Ash agreed as they continued to sway with each other. Being able to feel each other's Aura let their emotions bleed into each other while their Auras entwined. He could feel Misty's affection for him just as she could feel his feelings for her. You cannot lie to your own Aura and in turn your Aura could not lie to anyone that could sense it or came into contact with it. There was no form of communication more open and honest than Aura sensing. Ash and Misty could know with absolute certainty that they cared for each other as far more than friends.

"You want to head back to the Center?" Misty asked after a few more minutes of gentle swaying.

"Yeah." Ash replied as they pulled apart and quickly intertwined their fingers as they held hands. They placed their empty bottles into the recycling and exited the party area. In total they'd probably only spent about forty five minutes at the party but they'd found something far more important in that short time. The walk back to the Pokémon Center was filled with small kisses and murmurs of affection as they leaned into each other.

Entering the Pokémon Center Ash briefly separated from Misty to check on his Skiddo and Riolu. Nurse Joy had smiled and told him that both of his Pokémon were recovering quickly and would only need another day of recuperation before they could leave with Ash. With a smile Ash asked her to take care of his other Pokémon for the night getting a nod from Nurse Joy who took his remaining Pokeballs and headed into the back. Ash hurried back towards Misty and they both smiled at each other as their hands intertwined again. They quickly made their way up to Ash's room and locked the door behind them. The 'Do Not Disturb' sign hanging off the door knob ensuring they'd be left alone by the staff. Misty giggled as she pushed Ash back onto the bed and crawled next to him, their lips meeting again as their Auras quickly surged forth to meet again and entwined. The emotions they could feel from each other only strengthened their enjoyment of each other's lips.

"You're so beautiful." Ash murmured as he pulled Misty against him to kiss her again.

"You're handsome yourself." Misty giggled her face red with a blush as she ran her hands up and down Ash's t-shirt clad chest. The two were silenced as their lips met again and they deepened their kiss for the first time.

'So this is deep kissing?' Ash wondered as he could practically taste Misty. The taste became a reality quickly as Misty tentatively ran the tip of her tongue against his lips. Ash opened his mouth in surprise and Misty took the initiative to explore. Their Auras spiked again at the deeper physical contact, practically drowning the two Trainers in each other's emotions. Misty slowly broke the kiss and leaned back until she was straddling Ash's hips. She pulled her white midriff bearing shirt over her head revealing her light blue bra to Ash's gaze. Ash quickly sat up and removed his shirt before pulling Misty against him both shivering in pleasure as their skin came into contact.

"More." Misty hissed out in pleasure as they resumed their kissing. Ash quickly grabbed at Misty's ass and pulled her tighter against him. Misty moaned at the action before wrapping her arms around Ash's neck. Within the next minute of frenzied kissing Misty lost her bra and Ash gazed on her bare breasts for the first time.

"Soft." Ash mumbled as he caressed the perky B-Cups getting moans of approval from Misty. Without any thought Ash started groping Misty's breasts before adding his lips and tongue to his fondling.

"Yes." Misty moaned as she pulled Ash closer to her chest to keep the sensations going. Ash quickly lost himself in the feeling and the emotions coming from Misty through her Aura. Ash groaned as he rolled them over so that he was on top of Misty. Their lips quickly meeting again before Ash felt Misty's hands tugging at the waistband of his pants. Within seconds Ash had unbuttoned his pants and kicked them off. Misty's curious hands started exploring and brushed against his arousal. Ash sighed at the shock of pleasure as Misty began to stroke him over his boxers.

"Misty." Ash groaned as he placed his hand on her waist and hooked his index finger into the waistband of her shorts.

"It's ok." Misty nodded as she stopped her exploring of Ash's member and undid her shorts so he could pull them off of her. Ash quickly removed the denim and stared at Misty's matching light blue panties. Both of their hands quickly went back to exploring the newly uncovered areas. Fingertips ghosted up Misty's thighs drawing pleased gasps from the orangette as she stroked Ash's length. In the next minute Ash and Misty had their arms wrapped around each other and their lips sealed together as they ground themselves against each other, only their underwear separating them.

"Ash!" Misty moaned loudly as she trembled from her orgasm, holding Ash tightly against her as she shook in pleasure.

"Misty!" Ash grunted as he released, thrusting frantically against Misty's drenched panties.

The two stilled as they caught their breaths both still shaking from the intense experience. Ash quickly rolled them over so that Misty was lying on top of his chest as they calmed down from their high. Misty placed soft kisses against Ash's sweaty chest while he ran his hand gently up and down her back.

"I need to do laundry tomorrow, now." Ash murmured with a yawn. Misty giggled at him before lifting her head to respond.

"We both do, but showers first." Misty stated as she slowly got up kissing Ash once more before getting out of bed. Ash could only gaze upon her nearly naked body admiring everything he saw. Misty let him look feeling unusually happy with Ash's eyes on her. With a grin Misty went over to his pack and grabbed a large t-shirt and a pair of his boxers to use as her night clothes making sure to give her booty a little shake for Ash's enjoyment. If the groan she heard was any indication Ash very much enjoyed her teasing. With a wink she headed into the room's bathroom and started her shower. Ash sighed happily just listening to the running water through the closed door. They had come close to going all the way but through their Auras they'd both felt that neither of them was quite ready to take that final step. A few minutes later Misty exited the bathroom freshly showered and dressed in Ash's t-shirt with his boxers on underneath. She smiled at Ash still lying contently on the bed.

"You look amazing." Ash smiled getting Misty to smile with a light dusting of pink on her cheeks.

"Showers free, you flatterer, get washed up so that we can get some sleep." Misty grinned as she walked back to the bed and sat down on one side.

"Alright, I'm going." Ash grunted playfully as he went to get his night clothes and headed for the shower. About ten minutes later a freshly showered Ash left the bathroom to find Misty lying down in the bed. He couldn't help but think she looked amazing wearing his t-shirt and boxers to bed. Maybe because it signaled that they were together now?

"Come to bed, Ash." Misty smiled as she patted the spot beside her. Ash returned her smile before crawling into bed and lying next to the orangette. Misty quickly cuddled up to his chest and Ash pulled the blanket over them both before wrapping his arms around Misty and burying his face in her soft hair. Ash already loved her scent and felt Misty snuggle closer to him in pleasure.

"Good night, Misty." Ash murmured softly as he kissed the top of her head.

"Good night, Ash." Misty whispered back as she kissed his neck.

The two were asleep within minutes happily cuddled up together their Auras calmed down but still entwined because of their physical contact with each other.

-The Next Morning-

Ash yawned as he awoke; a feeling of pure contentment settled on him as he felt the warmth and weight of the one he shared the bed with. Feeling Misty's soft curves pressed up against his body was definitely something Ash could get used to. Shifting from Misty alerted Ash to her awakening and she slowly pulled her head away from his neck and met his eyes.

"Morning." Misty yawned sleepily.

"Morning." Ash replied before leaning forward and kissing her lips. Misty immediately returned the kiss and pressed her body against him.

"I wouldn't mind being woken up like that every morning." Misty grinned as she sat up and let the blanket fall around her waist.

"I think we could work something out." Ash smiled contently getting a playful swat on his chest from Misty.

"Come on we need to get up." Misty smiled getting one back from Ash as he sat up too. The two had to separate as Misty needed to go back to her room to get new clothes for the day. They met up in the lobby and went to visit their Pokémon. Ash smiled seeing Skiddo and Riolu already up and moving around. The two were tough and seemed like they'd be ok to leave the next day. After spending a couple hours taking care of their Pokémon, including having breakfast with them, the new couple walked hand in hand towards the video phones to make a call.

"Ketchum residence." Delia answered before seeing her son's face on screen with his friend Misty sitting next to him. "Ash, Misty, how are you two this morning?" She asked even as her motherly instincts were telling her that something had definitely changed with her son and his friend.

"We're doing great mom." Ash responded with an accompanying nod from Misty. "We just wanted to call and let you know about something that happened yesterday." Ash smiled.

"So what happened?" Delia asked as her son's smiled widened.

"Well the first thing is that I won my first Badge!" Ash exclaimed as he pulled out his Badge case and opened it showing off the Boulder Badge inside.

"Oh Ash, that's great! I always knew you'd be a great Pokémon Trainer." Delia congratulated her son proud of how fast he'd earned his first Badge.

"Thanks mom, Brock wasn't easy to beat and the battle I saw before my turn showed me how much further I still have to go." Ash stated with a determined look in his eyes.

"So what's the second thing that happened yesterday? You said winning your Badge was the first thing." Delia asked even though she had an inkling of what she was about to be told. Seeing both Ash and Misty get a bit red in the cheeks only strengthened her belief that her hunch was correct. Misty gently placing her head on Ash's shoulder with a smile even as her face flared red fully confirmed what Delia had suspected.

"Misty and I started dating yesterday." Ash confessed his own cheeks bright red.

"Oh I just knew you two would be good together!" Delia practically squealed out happily. Ash and Misty blushed even more if that was possible at the ecstatic mother while she asked when they'd decided to date.

"We were dancing at a party, celebrating Ash earning his Badge, when our Auras entwined." Misty spoke up still resting her head on her boyfriend's shoulder. Even now their Auras were gently wrapped around each other letting them both feel the joy the other was feeling. Delia, if possible, looked even happier at that revelation.

"So you've started feeling each other's emotions and everything?" Delia questioned getting nods from Ash and Misty. "Oh I'm so happy for you both. This reminds me of how Bruno and I started dating." The mother smiled as she reminisced the start of her own romance.

"Speaking of dad, where is he?" Ash asked since his father was supposed to be home for another five months at least.

"Well we weren't going to tell you until we were certain but I'm pretty sure we have news of our own." Delia smiled. "Ash you're going to be a big brother."

"Really?!" Ash asked as he almost toppled out of his seat, Misty's support the only thing stopping him from ending up in the floor.

"I haven't taken the test yet, your father is out buying me one along with some groceries we needed, but I'm feeling the same way I did when I was in the early stages of my pregnancy with you." Delia smiled brightly making Ash happy for his mother.

"Congratulations Mrs. Ketchum." Misty smiled getting a thank you from Delia.

"This is great mom! You'll let me know when the gender can be found out if I'm going to have a little brother or sister; right?" Ash asked excited at the prospect of being an older brother.

"Of course dear, make sure you get a PokéGear or some other type of cellphone so that I can contact you right away when the time comes." Delia beamed at her son.

"Will do!" Ash grinned. He'd have to save up a bit to get a PokéGear but it would be worth it to stay in touch with his mother during her pregnancy.

"Alright, well I'm sure you two have other things you need to do today so I'll see you later. Call me anytime, dear, you too Misty. I know that a girl can always use some time for girl talk. After all the menfolk aren't any good at it." Delia smiled getting a laugh from Misty along with a nod of agreement. Ash just sighed as he was once again the butt of one of his parent's jokes.

After the phone call Ash went over to the ATM in the corner of the Pokémon Center and checked his Trainer Account. Since Gym's payed out a larger amount than standard battles and they could easily have multiple challengers a day, any winnings were direct deposited into a Trainer's bank account. This account was set up by the Pokémon League shortly before a Trainer left on their journey. It was in the database of every Gym so that direct depositing could be done automatically upon victory.

"Hmm, so the first Badge nets you ten thousand PokeYen? That's not bad." Ash mused as he checked his balance.

"It goes up by five thousand for every Badge up to your eighth. You max out at forty five thousand per Badge earned." Misty informed helpfully, getting a nod from Ash.

"Do tournaments pay out the same way?" Ash questioned his girlfriend since she'd achieved her current rank by winning tournaments and competitions.

"It depends on the Level of the Tournament and sometimes the sponsor. A tournament for Beginner Levels only will usually net you around five thousand if you win. Rookie is usually seventy five hundred to ten thousand. Adept is ten thousand up to fifteen thousand. I'm not sure about Advanced or higher since I haven't participated in any of those yet." Misty explained getting a nod from Ash.

"Ash Ketchum to the front desk, please." The intercom called out overhead getting a grin from Ash as he practically rushed to the desk with Misty giggling as she followed behind him leisurely. After arriving at the desk Nurse Joy smiled as she held out Ash's newly updated Trainer Card. Ash thanked the Nurse before grinning at his new Card. A Beginner Level Trainer Card was white in color, while a Rookie Level Trainer Card was red. The color changed for each new Level starting from white then red, blue, green, indigo, black, silver, and finally gold. This new red Trainer Card was proof that he had taken the next step towards his goal of becoming World Level.

"Happy aren't you?" Misty teased getting a grin from Ash regardless.

"Yep, I still have a long way to go but I'm on my way." Ash nodded as he put his Trainer Card away in his wallet.

"So you still want to go to Copper Town next?" Misty asked as they walked out of the Pokémon Center together.

"Yeah, I want to try and earn the Metal Badge next." Ash nodded. "We'll have to go north from Pewter up Route Forty Nine to Copper Town."

"If you don't want to double back to go through Mt. Moon we can just continue on Route Fifty to Cerulean. We wouldn't have to go through or climb over Mt. Moon that way." Misty stated getting a thoughtful look from Ash.

"I think I'm ok with skipping Mt. Moon for now. The only really rare Pokémon are the Clefairy and they don't show themselves often. Most of the other species that make the mountain their home can be caught in multiple places in Kanto." Ash nodded as they walked towards the Pokemart. They would need to restock on supplies for the road since even with their Skiddo's speed it would still take two days to reach Copper Town. The old mining town was one of the most northern towns in Kanto and was a bit far from most of the others being north of Mt. Moon. But Misty had been there before and knew the way so they had no fear of getting lost. Misty was also hopeful that they'd get to Cerulean in time for the Water City Competition. It was a Pokémon Battle Competition that allowed only the use of Water Type Pokémon and it was held in Cerulean once a year. Misty wanted to win it and claim the grand prize of twenty thousand PokeYen and a Water Type Pokémon of the winner's choice from the Breeders Association of Cerulean City. She and Ash had already agreed to start having practice battles every day during their travels to strengthen their Pokémon. Misty was confident she could win the Competition and then watch Ash beat one of her sisters for the Cascade Badge. It would almost be as good as the look on their faces when they found out she had a boyfriend. Considering none of her sisters had a boyfriend she'd hold that over their heads for a bit.

She wasn't being petty, no way, no how.

**-End Chapter-**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**There we go! Ash and Misty celebrate and become a couple! Also Ash is going to be a big brother! Now they're heading north to Copper Town for Ash's next Badge! How will Ash fair against the Steel Type? You'll just have to keep reading to find out!**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! I'll even help out with Badge design/name! You'd get to have your own Gym Leader with their own unique Badge!**

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have seven Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type and Flying Type being three of them. Steel Type and Ghost Type already have OCs planned out but Flying Type does not!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	10. To Copper Town

**Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! It's time for Ash and Misty to head towards Copper Town. What will our new couple do on the two day trip to the Northern mining town?**

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**Chapter 10 – To Copper Town**

"You ready to head out Ash?" Misty asked as she tugged on her pack. Skiddo and Riolu had been cleared by Nurse Joy with a full recovery so they were leaving Pewter City this morning.

"Right behind you." Ash called back as they headed for the front door of the Pokémon Center. Once outside they both released their Skiddo, both Goat Pokémon bleated happily getting pats and scratches from their Trainers.

"You two ready for a day of travelling?" Misty questioned while rubbing her Skiddo's ears. Twin cheerful bleats from both Grass Types let Ash and Misty know that their Ride Pokémon were looking forward to the journey. The two Trainers got themselves comfortable in the saddle of their own Ride Pokémon before urging them forward. Riding towards the north exit of Pewter City only took a few minutes. When the couple passed the city gate and made it onto Route Forty Nine they urged their Skiddo to pick up the pace a bit. They didn't want to exhaust their Pokémon so they'd chosen a speed that the Pokémon could maintain for a few hours easily.

"So do you want to have the practice battle at lunch or when we stop for the night?" Ash questioned as they rode next to each other.

"How about a one on one at lunch and a two on two when we stop for the night?" Misty suggested getting a nod from Ash.

"You're on, Misty!" Ash accepted with a challenging grin.

"Don't be sad if I win!" Misty teased with a smirk making Ash chuckle and promise that he wouldn't. The ride north was fairly quiet except for their continued chatting. Both Trainers were on the lookout for other Trainers or any wild Pokémon that they'd want to catch. But so far neither had been seen by either Ash or Misty. The two stopped around noon for lunch at a clearing off to the side of Route Forty Nine. Releasing their Pokémon the duo set about feeding their teams and themselves. Today's lunch consisted of pan fried noodles and vegetables with soy sauce. The Pokémon were happily scarfing down Type specific food that Ash and Misty had bought at the Pokemart the day before they left Pewter City. Since they'd had the extra money from the multiple Jobs they'd done the cost of the high quality Pokémon food hadn't been an issue.

"Alright let's get this battle started! Who're you choosing Misty?" Ash asked as he looked over his team.

"I'll choose Poliwag; she still needs some practical experience." Misty chose getting her Poliwag to cheer as she made her way in front of her Trainer ready to battle.

"Alright then, Pidgeotto, you're up!" Ash called his Flying Type to battle. Pidgeotto chirped in acceptance and took to the air flapping her wings to hover in place. "Ladies first." He offered with a smile getting a grin in return.

"Why thank you. Poliwag use Hypnosis!" Misty replied instantly getting a response from Poliwag as she unleashed a wave of Psychic Aura towards the Bird Pokémon.

"Ascend and Gust!" Ash called out getting Pidgeotto to climb higher into the air before furiously flapping her wings and sending a spiraling column of Flying Type Aura and wind at the Water Type.

"Roll to dodge then counter with Bubble!" Misty instructed. Poliwag rolled out of the way of the incoming Gust attack and launched the high speed bubbles at her flying opponent.

"Dive and use Quick Attack!" Ash responded. Pidgeotto dodging the Bubble attack by diving towards the ground before glowing white and speeding towards Poliwag. The attack struck the Tadpole Pokémon sending it reeling backwards. "Hit it with Twister!" Pidgeotto's wings took on a light blue sheen as she flapped her wings and formed a small tornado of Dragon Type Aura and wind. The Twister struck the off balance Water Type sending Poliwag onto her back. "Quick Attack!" Ash called out hoping to claim Pidgeotto's first victory.

"Poliwag use Icy Wind!" Misty called. The Tadpole Pokémon sprung back to her feet before unleashing the Ice Type move at Pidgeotto. Without being able to change course fast enough Pidgeotto took the full brunt of the super effective attack. The dazed Normal/Flying Type hit the ground as she tried to shake off the hit. "Again!" Misty yelled. Getting a confirming sound from her Poliwag as the Water Type unleashed the move again.

"Sneaky!" Ash called out, he didn't know that Misty had used the TM Services at the Training Facility. "Pidgeotto into the air!" Pidgeotto cawed as she launched herself into the air dodging the Ice Type move.

"Oh no you don't! Poliwag, Icy Wind and maintain!" Misty called out. Poliwag launched a continuous stream of ice flaked wind at the retreating Pidgeotto trying to hit the agile Bird Pokémon.

"Dodge it, Pidgeotto!" Ash instructed knowing that a younger Pokémon like Poliwag couldn't maintain an attack for too long. After several moments Poliwag's Icy Wind faltered and Ash called his next move. "Gust!" The spiraling wind and Flying Aura was launched at the Water Type.

"Hit it with Water Gun!" Misty countered as Poliwag unleashed the pressurized stream of water at the airborne Pidgeotto. Poliwag was struck and sent tumbling by the Gust attack while Pidgeotto took a glancing blow to her wing and struggled to avoid crashing into the ground. Seeing that both their Pokémon were panting and injured Ash and Misty nodded to each other before calling an end to the battle.

"You did great Pidgeotto! We'll work on more aerial maneuvers during practice. That way you won't have to worry about the lag between switching from attacking to evading." Ash praised his Flying Type getting a happy chirp from Pidgeotto as Ash proceeded to treat her injuries with a Potion.

"That was excellent Poliwag; you've really taken to your new move. We'll work on your stamina while we travel. Soon you'll be able to maintain your attacks for much longer." Misty congratulated her Tadpole Pokémon getting a cheer from Poliwag as Misty poured some Fresh Water onto her Water Type's injuries. Poliwag's Water Absorb Ability came into effect and the wounds began to lighten and disappear as they rapidly healed. After treatment was taken care of the couple recalled their Pokémon and climbed back onto their Skiddo. They resumed their travel northward for another few hours only seeing a truck go by in that time. The day was wearing on and the couple decided to reach a marker Misty remembered seeing on her way from Copper Town before making camp. It was late afternoon when they spotted the marker. It was a simple wooden sign that said that Copper town was north and Pewter City was south. This sign was pretty much halfway between the two locations so served as a marker for travelling Trainers.

"I'll get the firewood this time. Could you set up the tents and release the Pokémon?" Ash asked Misty.

"Sure thing." Misty replied with a smile as she took Ash's Pokeballs and his pack and started getting set up. Ash and Pikachu went into the forest that surrounded their camping spot and started collecting all the dry fallen branches they could find. Coming back to camp Pikachu and Ash placed the firewood a safe distance from the circle of stones that would serve as the fire pit. Ash looked around seeing the Pokémon relaxing and enjoying themselves. Both Skiddo were happily lounging in the sun while nibbling on whatever grass was close by. His and Misty's Poliwag were using their Water Gun attacks to knock off berries from the tree they were standing under. The two Tadpole Pokémon had grown quite a bit since Ash and Misty had caught them on Route One. Their appetites had also grown along with their physical size. Riolu was apparently Aura communicating with Staryu and Starmie as the trio of Pokémon were faintly glowing and moving slightly making gestures about something. Pikachu had trotted off to climb onto his Skiddo's back and enjoy the sunshine with the Goat Pokémon.

Looking into the sky Ash saw Pidgeotto and Butterfree flying around stretching their wings. Well Pidgeotto was flying around; Butterfree was flitting from tree to tree and eating nectar from flowers that were in bloom. His Butterfly Pokémon was covered in pollen from his feast and was most definitely fulfilling his natural role as a pollinator. Ash chuckled at his messy Bug Type before looking towards Misty who was finishing setting up her tent. Ash placed some firewood into the newly made pit and ignited it with a small application of Fire Type Aura. With their campfire taken care of Ash noticed Misty had finished with her tent and was taking out some pans for cooking.

"Hey, Misty, did you want me to set up my own tent?" Ash asked since his tent was still packed away in his pack.

"No, I figured we could just share mine." Misty smiled with a dusting of pink on her cheeks. "I liked sleeping snuggled up next to you." She admitted with a grin.

"I liked it too." Ash grinned his own cheeks faintly red. The two smiled at each other before Ash moved to start helping with preparing the food. After vegetables were sliced and some Farfetch'd breast was seasoned and added to the pot they placed the lid on and let it start cooking over the fire. A bit over twenty years ago Farfetch'd had been endangered in the Kanto Region from over hunting. With new laws put in place by the Kanto Region Government the species had been protected from all hunting for fifteen years. Since the end of that protected time there was still a limit to how many of the birds could be hunted in the wild. Several farms had been set up to sustainably raise the Flying Type as a food so that the wild population could recover more quickly. Much like how Tauros, Miltank, Mareep, Grumpig, and a few other Pokémon species were farmed for meat, milk, wool, leather, and the like. Misty had bought the meat at the Pokemart and used her Aura to chill it to almost frozen before they set out from Pewter City. With the near refrigeration the couple could have farm raised meat in the wild as long as they ate it the same day they left a city or town. It would certainly add to their list of foods available while travelling.

While waiting for the food to cook Misty set up the solar shower bag to start heating up their shower water for the night. Ash checked on the food occasionally while going through his Pokedex for Pokémon native to the northern Routes of Kanto. According to the Pokedex there were a multitude of different Types and species of Pokémon found along Route Forty Nine and Route Fifty. A brief look over the list included; Teddiursa and Ursaring, both the male and female lines of the Nidoran species, Skarmory, Sneasel and very rarely Weavile could be found in the cooler areas further up the mountains, Phanpy and Donphan could be found in the Spring and Summer, Sandshrew and the occasional Sandslash were found in the drier parts of the mountains. Along Route Fifty several streams and two rivers met up at a large lake where Wooper and Quagsire could be found. That lake also held the only known Bidoof and Bibarel population this far south of Sinnoh. Barboach and Whiscash shared that lake as well along with Psyduck and some Golduck. Unfortunately while the Pokémon Snover and Abomasnow could on rare occasions be found around this lake in the Winter it was currently Spring so the Ice/Grass Types wouldn't make their way this far south.

Looking up from his Pokedex Ash saw Misty checking their dinner. With a nod the orangette placed the lid back on and sat back against her pack and resumed reading one of the books she'd bought back in the Viridian City Pokemart. The smell coming from the pot was amazingly appetizing and Ash was very much looking forward to dinner. He'd actually looked into the book on camp cooking his mother had gotten him a few times during the nights before bed. It was filled with a plethora of simple recipes that could be made with various ingredients found in the wild. Ash had learned back in school that several Trainers that stayed in the wild for extended periods of time often hunted the populous Rodent Pokémon for meat. After all the average full grown Raticate was just over two feet tall and usually weighed somewhere around forty pounds. Even after butchering that would amount to somewhere near eighteen to twenty pounds of meat. Ash was fairly certain that he and Misty would end up hunting for their dinner at some point during their travels. But Misty was a fairly experienced Trainer already and he didn't doubt that she'd be able to secure prey on a hunt. Several minutes later Ash and Misty were dishing out the roasted Farfetch'd and vegetables and filling their bellies.

"So good!" Ash exclaimed happily after his first bite.

"It's great!" Misty practically cooed after she swallowed her first mouthful. It was a simple recipe but it was still delicious. After eating their fill the two Trainers offered the leftovers to their Pokémon. Skiddo, as herbivores, didn't touch what remained of the meat but ate as much of the roasted vegetables as possible. Riolu, Pikachu, Pidgeotto and both Poliwag divided the small amount of remaining meat between themselves happily. Butterfree had already eaten himself to sleep off nectar and was sleeping in a nearby tree. After all the Pokémon were fed Ash and Misty called out to the two Pokémon they'd chosen to battle with after dinner.

"Alright Staryu, you're up!" Misty chose her first Pokémon.

"Poliwag, let's go!" Ash called out to his own Water Type. The Tadpole Pokémon quickly ran in front of his Trainer.

"I'll start us off, Poliwag use Hypnosis!" Ash called getting a cry from Poliwag as the Water Type emitted the wave of Psychic Aura towards the Starfish Pokémon.

"Staryu, Rapid Spin to dodge." Misty instructed getting a quick reaction from her Staryu as it spun out of the way of the Hypnosis attack. Staryu spun off to the side before Misty gave it another command. "Use Swift!" Staryu unleashed the star-shaped rays which hit their mark on Poliwag sending the Tadpole Pokémon onto its back.

"Poliwag use Water Gun to launch yourself at Staryu and then use Double Slap!" Ash instructed. Poliwag flipped himself over and fired its Water Gun into the ground launching itself towards Staryu with the recoil. As soon as Poliwag was close enough he began swatting Staryu repeatedly with his tail.

"Your Poliwag learned Double Slap?" Misty questioned having not known that Ash had raised his Poliwag so far.

"Yeah, Poliwag did a lot of strength training at the Training Facility!" Ash grinned at seeing Poliwag's training paying off. "Use Hypnosis while Staryu can't get away!"

"Don't think you've won yet, Ash!" Misty smirked as Staryu's core glowed. "Psywave!" Poliwag was blasted back from the force of the Psychic Type attack.

"Poliwag! Are you alright?" Ash called getting Poliwag to stand up defiantly and ready to continue the battle.

"Swift!" Misty called out. Staryu once again launched the star-shaped rays at Poliwag.

"Shoot then down with Water Gun!" Ash yelled trying to defend from the unavoidable move. Poliwag blasted out his Water Gun and swept away the initial barrage of stars.

"Rapid Spin to get in close, then a point blank Psywave!" Misty instructed. Staryu was quickly flying towards Poliwag with its core already glowing.

"Double Slap!" Ash called out getting Poliwag to launch himself towards the incoming Staryu. Poliwag got multiple strikes in before Staryu launched the Psywave knocking Poliwag away from it again. Ash and Misty saw that both of their Pokémon had become tired and decided to end the first round there.

"Return Staryu, you did great." Misty thanked her Pokémon as she recalled it. "That was good Ash, Skiddo you're turn!" Misty called out getting her Skiddo to trot onto the field.

"You did awesome Poliwag, go take a rest and have some Oran Berries." Ash told his Water Type getting a happy cheer from Poliwag as he slowly walked over to Ash's pack and rummaged in the pocket that he kept berries in. "Pikachu, you ready buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu called out as he ran over to Ash's side of the field and sparked his cheeks.

"Razor Leaf!" Misty called out and with a bleat Skiddo complied. Skiddo launched a barraged of spinning leaves at the Electric Type.

"Quick Attack to dodge, then hit it with Thunder Wave!" Ash called out as he had to find a way to limit the agile Skiddo's mobility.

"Chu!" Pikachu called back as he blitzed around the Razor Leaf with a white trail of Aura behind him. After bypassing his opponent's attack Pikachu unleashed the Thunder Wave paralyzing Skiddo.

"Skiddo!" Misty cried out seeing her Grass Type paralyzed. Skiddo winced as sparks danced over its body.

"Electro Ball!" Ash declared Pikachu's next attack. Pikachu gathered electricity into the tip of his tail before launching a sphere of it at the Goat Pokémon.

"Block it with Razor Leaf!" Misty called as Skiddo launched another barrage of leaves that dispersed the Electro Ball. "I see Pikachu has learned some new moves!"

"Quick Attack!" Ash called out getting Pikachu to dash forward while leaving a trail of white light in his wake.

"Take Down!" Misty ordered getting Skiddo to dash forward with a blaze of Normal Type Aura glowing off his body.

"Pikachu dodge it buddy!" Ash called out but Pikachu could only turn and try to get out of the way of the incoming Grass Type.

"Skid!" Skiddo cried out as it landed a glancing blow on Pikachu sending the Electric Mouse tumbling for several feet.

"Pikachu!" Ash called out in worry. Pikachu weren't the most durable of species so even a glancing blow from Skiddo's Take Down could do some real damage.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out as he stood up a little shakily. Skiddo had locked up in paralysis again and was wincing.

"Electro Ball one more time!" Ash called out. Pikachu launched the attack and nailed the still immobilized Grass Type sending the Goat Pokémon stumbling.

"Vine Whip!" Misty responded. Skiddo was able to launch his attack and nailed Pikachu in the side sending the Electric Type sprawling again.

"Pikachu are you alright?" Ash questioned as Pikachu stood up again but with a noticeable strain.

"You want to call it here, Ash?" Misty asked getting a nod from her boyfriend. "Great work Skiddo, we'll have to find a way to deal with faster opponents."

"Skid!" Skiddo bleated back as he slowly made his way back to Misty so she could treat him. Ash walked over with Pikachu in his arms and the two Trainers set about treating their four Pokémon. About twenty minutes later and Skiddo, Poliwag, and Staryu were treated and back in their Pokeballs to sleep for the night. Pikachu was already curling up in the corner of Misty's tent for the night by the time Ash and Misty were taking their showers.

"That was a good evening." Misty commented as she and Ash were getting themselves situated in her tent. Changing into their sleeping clothes in front of each other hadn't been nearly as awkward as they'd expected since they'd seen so much of each other already. Neither minded the other looking at their mostly naked body and, in fact, got a bit of a thrill from it. Misty's tent was only a little bigger than Ash's so the couple would need to cuddle up to fit. That worked with their plans just fine as Ash and Misty were getting between their two opened sleeping bags. Misty's was being used as the 'mattress' while Ash's was the 'blanket'.

"It really was, huh?" Ash replied with a grin. "Great dinner and some good training, I'd say it went perfectly." He quickly wrapped his arms around Misty's waist and pulled his girlfriend into his side. Misty giggled as she snuggled into Ash's chest and threw her leg over one of his to bring them closer. Ash nuzzled into Misty's hair gently breathing in his girlfriend's scent as Misty lay against his chest and ran her hand up and down his chest and stomach feeling the tone of his muscles.

"Hmm, good night Ash." Misty breathed out as she felt sleep coming on.

"Good night, Misty, sleep tight." Ash replied as he pulled her tighter as the two snuggled deeper into their shared bedding.

The next morning the couple kissed as they woke up in each other's arms again. Reluctantly they separated to begin the day and made quick work of breakfast and feeding the Pokémon. Within an hour of waking up Ash and Misty were back on the road to Copper Town. Riding their Skiddo further up Route Forty Nine they came across another group of people. This new group consisted of four people all of them looking to be at least twenty. There were two men and two women and they were all riding their own Rapidash.

"Morning." The lead man greeted as he tipped his straw hat to them. He had dark brown hair and a tan complexion. He was wearing a tan light-weight coat over a blue shirt and blue jeans. Looking the other three over they all were dressed in jeans and had jackets as well. The second man, a black haired man, smiled as he too tipped his hat to them. Both women smiled before wishing the young couple a good morning as well.

"Good morning." Ash and Misty replied with smiles of their own.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu greeted getting smiles from the two women immediately.

"You two did pack some jackets right?" The woman on the right asked as she looked over the two teen's clothes. "It gets pretty chilly up in the mountains. Even though it's spring now the temperature is always a bit lower around Copper Town until around late spring."

"Yeah, we've got some jackets in our packs." Misty confirmed. "I came through Copper Town about a month or so ago so I made sure to buy a good jacket."

"Smart girl, knows what's important." The second man nodded. Misty smiled at the compliment.

"We're just coming from Copper Town. We're traveling around for Ace Level Tournaments right now. But just north of Copper Town is one of the few areas where you can catch wild Steelix in the Kanto Region, so Brian here had to insist that we go there." The woman on the left said as she motioned to the first man.

"Hey I didn't see you complaining when you caught that huge Skarmory that tried to swoop in and snatch my Golduck for food." Brian responded to the woman.

"I think we all came out well from the trip." The second man stated getting a nod from the woman on the right. "Me and Julia both caught a good Pokémon each, didn't think I'd get to catch a Snorlax on this trip."

"Shawn is right, he caught a Snorlax, I caught a Weavile, Brian got himself a Steelix and you, Heather, caught yourself that impressively large Skarmory. I don't see any reason to complain." Julia remarked getting nods from Brian and Shawn while Heather just pouted about hating camping in cold weather.

"How far north did you guys go?" Ash questioned knowing that to find wild Steelix and Snorlax were incredibly rare. Misty nodded her own curiosity to the question.

"Hmm, about two days travel past Copper Town. It's still pretty cold up in those mountains though. I wouldn't recommend it for Trainers your age just yet." Brian replied. The rest of the adult group chimed in their own opinions, including both Heather and Julia commenting on how cute Pikachu was getting the Electric Type to smile back with a cheerful cry, the two groups spent several more minutes chatting before parting ways.

"They were nice enough." Misty mused a minute or so later.

"Yeah, they sure were lucky to find a wild Steelix and Snorlax. Those Pokémon aren't seen that often so most people have to catch and raise an Onix; or pay for a Munchlax from the Breeders Association." Ash replied musing over how strong those wild Pokémon might have been.

"We should be able to get to Copper Town before dark if we keep our pace up. Then we can get a room at the Pokémon Center." Misty informed as she and Ash rode further north.

"Just one room? Why Misty, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were trying to share a bed with me." Ash teased his girlfriend getting the orangette to smirk at him.

"What can I say? You make a very good body pillow." Misty winked making Ash grin in response.

"I'm happy to be of service." Ash teased while waggling his eyebrows. Misty laughed at her boyfriend's antics. The two rode for a few more hours before stopping for lunch. Letting their Pokémon out to stretch and relax while getting a meal only took about an hour. After lunch they were back on the road and in the late afternoon Misty pointed out the first sign that they were close to Copper Town.

"Hey Ash, see that?" Misty asked as she pointed skyward. Ash looked up and stared wide eyed at the pair of large Skarmory flying through the air.

"Wow! They have to be over twice the size of an average Skarmory!" Ash exclaimed looking at the two large Steel/Flying Types in the sky.

"Those are Gym Leader Dustin's Pokémon. He has them patrol the area around Copper Town to look out for trouble or alert him if someone needs help. I think he has over a dozen Skarmory doing this. Once we get a bit closer you'll see Copper Town's Protectors too. I'm sure you'll be shocked." Misty informed getting Ash to look at his girlfriend pleadingly.

"Tell me, tell me, come on!" Ash half begged as they rode closer to their destination.

"Nope! I want to see your reaction." Misty giggled as Ash grumbled. Another hour passed and the sun was just beginning to descend below the horizon turning late afternoon into early dusk when the couple came within sight of Copper Town's main entry way. With a rumble two immense Steelix appeared from the forested ridges on either side of the Route.

"Holy hell." Ash gaped at the sight of the massive Steel/Ground Types. Pikachu stared up at the immense Pokémon his own eyes wide at their sheer size. Ash couldn't see all of their bodies but just estimating from what he could see these two Steelix must be at least twice the length of an average member of their species. The average Steelix measured in at a length of thirty feet and some inches, which made these two behemoths at least sixty feet long each.

"Hahaha, your face is priceless." Misty giggled loudly as Ash turned to her still amazed by the size of the two Steelix.

"I doubt you were any better the first time you saw these two." Ash accused his girlfriend. Misty simply shrugged with a grin.

"I'm not sure if it was these two I saw the first time. But it was definitely a pair of about the same size." Misty commented making Ash's eyes widen again.

"There are more Steelix this big?" Ash questioned in shock.

"Yep, Copper Town only has two entry points. The one we're on and the one that connects to Route Fifty. There are always two of these big ones guarding each entry way. I asked Dustin when I was here last and won the Founding Tournament how many Protectors the town had. According to him they have ten Steelix of this size that surround the town and keep a watch out for violent wild Pokémon or people that are up to no good." Misty explained as the two massive Steelix apparently judged them as not being a threat and returned to the forested ridges to continue their guarding.

"Ten… ten Steelix twice the size of average at least." Ash muttered to himself amazed by Copper Town's Protectors. The couple rode into Copper Town proper and Ash followed Misty to the Pokémon Center. Checking in was easy as per usual and the two rented a single room to share both blushing slightly when the Nurse Joy gave them a knowing look. Getting into their room and setting their packs down the two smiled at each other before their lips met in a soft kiss.

"So you want to get some dinner and check out the town a little?" Misty asked as she pulled back from her boyfriend.

"Sure, you've been here so show me around." Ash grinned as he interlaced their fingers and the couple headed out to find a good restaurant for dinner. Unnoticed to either Trainer as they walked through Copper Town on the way to find dinner they were noticed by an older man. He was wearing a tan cap a blue work shirt covered by dark brown overalls and had a dark brown mustache matching the thick hair on his head. This man's eyes appeared to glow for a brief moment before stopping. He smiled and shook his head.

"It's been an age since I saw a Guardian. Hopefully he's here to challenge the Gym." The man mused aloud as he continued on his way.

"Hey Boss! Are you headed home?" A young man called out from the other side of the street.

"Of course, Pat, if I'm late for dinner Ora will have my head." The older man chuckled as he waved the young worker away. His wife and daughter were expecting him for dinner and he wasn't about to disappoint them.

**-End Chapter-**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Ash and Misty have arrived in Copper Town! Having a Ride Pokémon really makes a difference on travel times! So who is this mysterious 'Boss' that's figured out that Ash is an Aura Guardian with just a glance? Keep reading to find out!**

**Ash's Current Pokémon**

**Pikachu – Static – Tail Whip, Thundershock, Growl, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle**

**Riolu – Inner Focus – Foresight, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up, Copycat, Force Palm**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap**

**Butterfree – Compound Eyes – Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Gust, Confusion**

**Pidgeotto – Keen Eye – Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Misty's Current Pokémon**

**Staryu – Natural Cure – Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage**

**Starmie – Natural Cure - Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage, Protect**

**Goldeen – Lightning Rod – Peck, Tail Whip, Watersport, Supersonic, Horn Attack, Flail, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Icy Wind**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! I'll even help out with Badge design/name! You'd get to have your own Gym Leader with their own unique Badge!**

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have seven Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type and Flying Type being three of them. Steel Type and Ghost Type already have OCs planned out but Flying Type does not!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	11. Copper Town Training, Jobs and Pokemon

**Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! Time for some more Training for Ash and Misty before the Gym battle! Not to mention another mine digging Job to look for more things to sell and potentially another Evolution Stone. Also a new Pokémon!**

**As always Patrons get all chapters early and all one-shots are Pat re on exclusive.**

**If you're not a Patron please thank the ones who helped make this possible.**

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**Chapter 11 – Copper Town Training, Jobs and Pokémon **

Ash and Misty woke in each other's embrace again with content smiles. Sharing a single room together lowered their expenses and let them get more comfortable with their new relationship. With a soft sigh and a quick kiss the two separated and took care of their morning routines. After breakfast and retrieving their Pokémon from Nurse Joy the couple set out to the nearby mines to try their luck. The Job had been posted in the Center just like it was in Pewter City. Copper Town had pit mines that were open to travelling Trainers and tunnel mines that were only for the Town's professional miners that mined copper; hence why the town was named Copper Town in the first place. A leisurely walk took the couple through the mining town and they arrived at the mines shortly afterwards. After showing their IDs and checking in with the office the two were given digging equipment and a bag to carry whatever they found.

"Hey Misty, do you know what the most common items found here are?" Ash questioned as the couple looked for a free spot to start digging.

"If I remember right it's mostly Shards, Stardust, and occasionally a Star Piece is found. If you get really lucky I've heard of people finding enough of the minerals needed to make the Metal Coat item that let's certain Pokémon evolve. Other than that some Evolution Stones and a few other random items are found from time to time." Misty replied remembering reading about the mines when she passed through Copper Town just over a month ago.

"Well let's get digging!" Ash exclaimed with a cheer which Misty mimicked with a grin. The two were able to find a spot and let Pikachu and Riolu help out with digging again. For the first half an hour they found nothing of value, mostly rocks, sand and dirt. Pikachu and Riolu were the first to find something as the two Pokémon climbed out of the, rather impressive, hole they'd dug and brought over two small red gems.

"What did you guys find?" Ash questioned as Pikachu and Riolu both placed a red gem in Ash's hand. Looking down Ash grinned seeing two Star Pieces. These red gems were worth a pretty PokeYen most of them selling for just under the price of a Gold Nugget. "Great work guys. These are an awesome find. Can you keep digging or do you want to take a quick break?" Ash asked his Pokémon getting happy cries from Pikachu and Riolu as they quickly ran back to their hole and resumed digging. "Guess that answers my question." He chuckled as he went back to digging.

"Hey, I found something." Misty called out from her position several feet away. Ash turned to look at her seeing her dusting something off before gasping in shock. "No way!" The orangette breathed out as she pulled up a mostly flat stone that had a noticeable rounded shape. "A Helix Fossil." Misty stated as she traced the distinct spiral pattern.

"That's amazing Misty!" Ash congratulated his girlfriend after looking the fossil over. "You can get Fossils cloned at Cinnabar Island, from what I've heard it costs a bit but you get a prehistoric Pokémon out of it so it's a good deal." While the Cinnabar Island Research Facility called what they did 'Reviving' or 'Resurrecting' the Pokémon, in truth they were actually extracting DNA from the Fossil to clone the Pokémon. There was about a seventy percent chance of a Fossil having useable DNA with which to clone the prehistoric Pokémon. Even millions of years after their death some Pokémon's durable bodies held this tiniest of fragments of life in them. It was truly a testament to the resilience of Pokémon that such a process of cloning extinct species was even possible.

"I never thought I'd find one. Imagine having a prehistoric Water Type!" Misty beamed as she carefully placed the Fossil into the bag the office attendant had provided them.

"That would be impressive." Ash nodded knowing only a handful of Trainers had what were dubbed 'Fossil Pokémon'. The couple got back to digging a minute later. Over two hours of finding nothing else even after changing spots and the two were sitting in the shade with Riolu and Pikachu.

"I'm still happy with my Helix Fossil but I was sure we'd have found something else by now." Misty commented as she took a drink from her canteen.

"Yeah, I say we try again for another hour or so and then call it quits." Ash replied getting a nod from Misty. A few more minutes of resting and the couple got back to digging with the two Pokémon following.

"Hey, what's this?" Ash wondered almost twenty minutes later as his shovel struck something besides dirt and rocks. Reaching down Ash brushed the dirt away from what he'd struck only to stare at the deep black stone that sat in the dirt. "Is that a Dusk Stone? These are pretty hard to come by in Kanto."

"That's a good find, Ash." Misty spoke up from beside him causing him to start. He hadn't noticed her moving over to him and she grinned at surprising him.

"Yeah, it'll probably sell for a bit more than normal." Ash nodded as he picked up the Dusk Stone and placed it into the bag along with the two Star Pieces and Misty's Helix Fossil.

"I saw a flyer for a street market tomorrow when we were walking over here. They apparently hold a swap meet during it as well. You can probably trade that Dusk Stone for something nice if you wanted to." Misty commented getting Ash to perk up.

"That's cool; I haven't been to a swap meet before." Ash grinned as he thought about the event. It was possible he could make a good trade for the Dusk Stone seeing that they were rather rare in Kanto. The couple resumed digging for a while, Pikachu and Riolu hadn't found anything else yet and were taking a break in the shade leaving a large hole behind. The group of two humans and two Pokémon were getting ready to call it a day when Misty struck something else. Bending down to brush the dirt and small rocks away she came face to face with a large fossilized tooth.

"What's this? Some kind of fossil?" Misty wondered as Ash noticed her holding something and made his way over.

"That's a Dragon Fang." Ash informed as he looked at it. "They have special significance to Dragon Type Specialists." He explained as Misty handed it to him to look over. "You could sell it, but you wouldn't get much from the Pokemart for it. Maybe take it to the swap meet? If there happens to be a Dragon Specialist there they'll probably trade you something nice for it. We're not all that far from Blackthorn City by flight right now. So it might be possible to find a Dragon Trainer here."

"I'll take it to the swap meet tomorrow then. Might get lucky." Misty smiled as she placed the Dragon Fang into the bag and picked it up. "Let's head out, I'm sweaty and want to take a shower."

"Right behind you." Ash chuckled as he picked up the shovels they'd been using. Riolu was returned to his ball while Pikachu climbed up to perch on Ash's shoulder.

"I'll bet you're right behind me." Misty laughed as she walked in front of Ash and put a bit of sway in her hips. Hearing the whispered 'Nice.' from Ash made Misty grin before she placed the mining bag straps over her right shoulder and let the bag hang down which covered her rear from Ash's gaze.

"Aww…" Ash pouted over dramatically drawing giggles from Misty.

"Down boy, you'll get to cuddle tonight anyway." Misty winked at him getting Ash to grin back at his girlfriend. The two were slowly becoming more and more comfortable with each other and their new relationship. This open flirting between them made talking and sharing their feelings with each other easier as they opened up to each other.

"Find anything?" The attendant asked as the couple entered the office area with their mining bag.

"Yes sir." Misty nodded as she gently set down the bag and stepped back for the man to inspect their finds.

"The two Star Pieces will have to be sold to us, but the other items are yours to keep." The attendant informed the couple getting Ash to step forward.

"That's fine, I understand the rules." Ash nodded as the man picked up the two Star Pieces and took them over to a scale. After weighing the gems the man picked up a loupe and inspected the two gems closely.

"You've got some nice finds here. The clarity is good, a minor imperfection here and there but still nice. We'll pay you ninety six hundred for the two." The man informed getting a quick agreement from Ash. Within the next few minutes Ash had ninety six hundred PokeYen and he and Misty were walking back through town to get to the Pokémon Center.

"Someone stop that thief or so help me I'm making bear stew when I catch it!" A loud yell rang out through the street. Ash and Misty both looked towards the source to see a large man in a green apron chasing a Teddiursa that had several vegetables in its arms as it ran. Seeing the Pokémon heading in their direction Ash stepped forward and called Pikachu into action.

"Pikachu stop it with Thunder Wave." Ash instructed while pointing at the running Teddiursa.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out as it sent a bolt of electricity at the Normal Type. Pikachu's aim was true and the bear Pokémon fell to the ground as it was paralyzed by the attack.

"Electro Ball followed by Quick Attack!" Ash called out and Pikachu complied. A ball of electricity formed on the Mouse Pokémon's tail and was swiftly launched at the downed Pokémon. The Teddiursa cried out as it was hit with the Electric Attack before it was cut off as Pikachu dashed across the distance between them and slammed the Normal Type with a Quick Attack. Seeing the bear Pokémon down Ash quickly enlarged a Pokeball and tossed it. The ball tapped Teddiursa and sucked the Pokémon inside. A few shakes later and the Pokeball sounded out a successful capture. Ash quickly collected his new Pokémon while the man in the apron walked forward.

"Thank you, Trainer, that little thief has been stealing from my store for the better part of three weeks now. It's probably young and just recently put out on its own by the mother Ursaring, but I can't have it stealing my produce to fill its stomach." The man informed as he set about collecting the previously stolen vegetables.

"I understand, now that Teddiursa is my Pokémon you won't have to worry about that anymore." Ash promised before he thought of something. "Sir, if you don't mind I'll buy those vegetables from you." The man looked up perplexed before he smiled at the Trainer.

"Very well then, that'll be one thousand two hundred fifty PokeYen. I have a bag in my apron pocket for you." The man said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded plastic bag. A quick shake and the bag was opened and quickly filled with the vegetables. Ash handed over the money and collected the bag of produce before bidding the man a good day.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your kindness?" Misty asked as she kissed his cheek making Ash grin.

"You have now." Ash stated cheekily getting Misty to roll her eyes before restarting their walk towards the Pokémon Center. Ash followed after his girlfriend and was surprised when Misty put the sway back into her hips. "Nice." He whispered as he watched his girlfriend show off a bit.

"Don't you forget it, mister." Misty grinned as she and Ash walked to the Pokémon Center with her keeping the gentle sway going for her boyfriend's enjoyment. A short while later the two were in their room and Misty was showering to remove the sweat of digging in the mines. Nurse Joy had healed Teddiursa quickly while still in the Pokeball and Ash had decided to rotate a Team Member for the first time. Having six Pokémon was the limit for any Trainer under Expert Level. If you caught another Pokémon the button on the Pokeball would maintain a red glow. This glow showed that the ball was locked and the Pokémon couldn't be released. Holding the glowing button down for five seconds would transport the ball to Professor Oak's Lab, in the case of Ash's Pokémon, so he'd made sure not to accidentally send Teddiursa away. Having discussed it with his current Team it was decided Butterfree would be the first to get a small vacation from training. A quick mention that a lot of the trees at Professor Oak's Ranch were in bloom was all the incentive the Bug/Flying Type had needed to want to go.

"Now let's get to know each other." Ash smiled as he released his newest Pokémon from his Pokeball.

"Ursa?" Teddiursa called out curiously as it looked around the new place it was in. Seeing the human with the Pikachu that had defeated it the young Bear Pokémon looked him over while sniffing at him lightly.

"Hey, Teddiursa, my name's Ash. I'm a Pokémon Trainer and me and my Pikachu caught you earlier. I was wondering if you wanted to become my Pokémon and join the family?" Ash asked while slowly raising his hand and letting his Aura flow. Teddiursa quirked its head at the human's hand before sniffing and licking at it gently. Ash held back a chuckle at the tickling sensation of the curious cub as it examined his Aura in its own way.

"Teddi!" Teddiursa declared with a cheer as it plopped itself down in Ash's lap happily. With a laugh Ash started to gently pet the cub's head as he welcomed Teddiursa into his family of Pokémon.

"Great to have you with us, Teddiursa, I got these for you earlier." Ash welcomed as he reached back behind himself and pulled the bag of vegetables forward. "You wanted to eat these, right?"

"Ursa!" Teddiursa cheered as it pulled out the first vegetable and bit into it. Unbeknownst to the newly acquainted friends Misty had finished her shower and was now standing in the bathroom doorway in a fresh change of clothes. Watching Ash and Teddiursa bond brought a smile to the orangette's lips. She couldn't help but imagine how good of a father Ash would be in the future. With kids of his own, kids with dark orange hair, just a bit darker than their mother's.

'Ahh! Stop it, stop it! Don't think about 'that' of all things! Mrs. Ketchum even said not to make her a grandmother for a few years! Besides we haven't even gone past second base. Neither of us is ready for 'that' yet!' Misty shouted in her head as she felt her face burn with a blush. Still, it was nice to dream about such a nice future.

"I see you two have become friends." Misty spoke up after getting her blush under control. Ash and Teddiursa turned towards her and Misty couldn't help but giggle as Teddiursa had part of a cucumber sticking out of its mouth while it looked her over.

"Yep, we're buddies now, right Teddiursa?" Ash asked getting a nod while the cub chewed the cucumber and swallowed. "This is my girlfriend, Misty, she'll be travelling with us buddy." He introduced as Misty approached and gently sat beside Ash.

"Sa!" Teddiursa smiled, at least as much as its species was able to smile, while Misty gently petted the Bear Pokémon's head. Teddiursa happily nuzzled into his Trainer's mate's hand and enjoyed the behind the ears scratches.

"You're adorable." Misty cooed at the cub while petting it. "But with some good training from Ash you'll soon be a big, powerhouse of an Ursaring won't you?" She playfully encouraged the little bear Pokémon.

"Teddiursa!" Teddiursa cheered with a nod and sparkles in his eyes.

"Seems like someone wants to grow big and evolve." Ash commented getting a nod from his newest Pokémon. Misty giggled as Teddiursa practically shook with excitement while she continued to pet it.

"Ash will get you there, Teddiursa, don't you worry about that." Misty soothed the excited Pokémon and pulled the cute cub into her lap so she could snuggle with it. Ash grinned at seeing how much Misty enjoyed having Teddiursa around and quickly pulled out his Pokedex to scan his newest Pokémon.

"Teddiursa, the Little Bear Pokémon, when it finds honey, the crescent mark on its head glows. It always licks its paws because they're soaked with honey. Before food becomes scarce in wintertime, its habit is to hoard food in many hidden locations. This Teddiursa is male and knows the moves; Covet, Lick, Fury Swipes, and Feint Attack." The Pokedex informed as Ash scanned the cub. A button press switched over to Ability Identifier Mode and scanned the cub again. "This Teddiursa's Ability is Pick Up. This Ability allows a Pokémon to find items that are hidden or buried while outside."

"You've got some sticky little paws don't you buddy?" Ash chuckled as he watched his new Pokémon be snuggled by his girlfriend. "But you don't have to steal anymore. If you're hungry just let me know and I'll get you some food. I'll never let my Pokémon go hungry." He promised getting a cheer from Teddiursa.

"Well it is about lunch time. You want to hit the cafeteria and get the Pokémon fed too?" Misty asked as she let Teddiursa out of her arms the small cub staring up at Ash expectantly.

"Yeah, we should eat then we can head over to the Training Facility and start getting Teddiursa used to how we train." Ash nodded while Teddiursa let out a happy cry. A filling lunch later and Ash and Misty were walking towards the Training Facility to work with their Pokémon on strengthening their bodies and growing stronger.

"How can I help you today?" The man behind the desk asked. He was probably in his late twenties and was dressed in khaki shorts and a t-shirt with the logo of the Training Facility franchise emblazoned across it.

"Two for the rest of the day." Misty stated while gesturing to Ash.

"Alright then, that'll be five hundred PokeYen each." The man informed getting a nod from the two in response. "Would either of you like an Assistant Trainer today?" The man asked looking between Misty and Ash.

"No, thank you." Ash replied as he pulled out his wallet.

"I'm good." Misty shook her head as she took out her pocketbook.

The man nodded as Ash and Misty handed over the money and each got their wristband.

"Alright Ash, where do you want to start out?" Misty asked him as she looked over the various areas of the Facility.

"Strength and endurance, then some cardio, work the bag or maybe practice some moves after that. Then finish with a cool down." Ash smiled getting one in return from Misty.

"Well thought out, Ash, you learned pretty well from that Assistant in Pewter, huh?" Misty replied as they walked over to the weight room. Ash chuckled at his friend's excitement as they entered the room and released their Pokémon that could train on land.

"I just tried to remember what Brad taught me is all." Ash grinned as they started attaching the appropriate weights to their Pokémon. As the group started working out with weighted cardio, using the treadmills in the room to keep a good pace for each Pokémon, Ash kept a close eye on Teddiursa to make sure his newest Pokémon wasn't going to hurt himself. The cub was eager to start training and had the desire to get strong and evolve into an Ursaring. Ash would get his new friend there but in a safe and healthy way. No reason to rush after all, with proper training Teddiursa would evolve soon enough.

"Well, that should be enough cardio. Let's take a quick breather and work with the free weights next." Misty suggested after a solid thirty minutes on the treadmills.

"Sure thing." Ash replied as he and the Pokémon slowed to a walk before getting off the treadmills. After unstrapping all the weights from their Pokémon and returning them to their proper places the group moved over to the free weight area.

Ash's Pokémon and Misty's had all worked out in Training Facilities plenty of times now and knew what to do. So Ash only had to help Teddiursa get used to the training and explain how it worked. Teddiursa had tried to lift a weight that was almost as heavy as it was until Ash corrected the cub. Giving Teddiursa a more appropriate weight Ash had the Normal Type follow along with Pikachu. The Electric Type was all too happy to help his new teammate out and soon the Bear Pokémon was lifting his own weight properly.

"Alright, who is ready for some move practice?!" Ash questioned after the group put their weights back where they belonged. Getting a cheer from the Pokémon, the group made their way over to the targets and set about practicing various moves. Misty quickly set up a Water Gun accuracy match between the Water Types while Ash instructed Pikachu to keep up his practice with Iron Tail. The Electric Type had been working to strengthen his tail as much as possible in the last weeks and had even gotten a bit of a glow from it the last time he'd practiced.

Pidgeotto was launching various attacks against a multitude of hanging targets. This allowed her to work on both accuracy and her maneuverability at the same time. Both Skiddo were practicing accuracy with their Razor Leaf attacks trying to control the spread of their leaves. Riolu was using Force Palm against a reinforced target and trying to speed up his formation of the move. Once he'd gotten it fast enough the Fighting Type would start working on another move. Ash was having Teddiursa practice his various attacks to see how well his new Pokémon could use the moves he had. Fury Swipes was good and Lick was as good as a non-Ghost Type would be able to get it. Covet was trickier to train but Ash decided to simply hold a small medicine ball and let Teddiursa try and take it from him. Feint Attack was obviously Teddiursa's newest move as the Bear Pokémon was having trouble finishing the move without stumbling. Ash spent the rest of the time helping Teddiursa with his moves before the group all headed to the pool to cool down.

"I'll never get tired of this sight." Ash smiled to himself as he played with his Pokémon in the shallows of the large pool. The sight in question was of Misty in her navy blue bikini. The orangette was working with her Goldeen in the pool and helping the Fish Pokémon with switching between moves quickly. Misty wasn't oblivious to her boyfriend's gaze. She would occasionally thrust her breasts out a bit when he was looking just to watch his face turn red. Though she couldn't deny that seeing her boyfriend shirtless and dripping wet was a very enjoyable view for her. Ending the day at the Training Facility was filled with a sense of accomplishment from all parties; as well as the rumble of many stomachs.

"I'd say it's dinner time." Misty giggled as the Pokémon cried out happily.

"I second that!" Ash claimed happily as the couple headed towards the Pokémon Center after recalling their Pokémon into their Pokeballs. Getting their large group set up for the evening took a few minutes but soon enough the Pokémon were fed and in Nurse Joy's care for the night while Ash and Misty retreated to their room for the evening.

"Good training today, if we keep this up you'll earn the Metal Badge no problem." Misty assured Ash as they put on their sleepwear for the night.

"I hope so. You'll need a training partner close to your level to give you the practice your team needs to win the Water City Competition in Cerulean." Ash replied as he put on his baggy t-shirt. "Have you thought about what Water Type Pokémon you'll ask for from the Breeders Association?"

"There's plenty to choose from." Misty hummed in thought as she pulled the covers back and climbed into the bed. "I might ask for a Horsea. I do want to raise one into a Kingdra and this is a sure fire way to get one."

"Kingdra are powerful Pokémon too, I'd love to watch you raise a cute little Horsea all the way into a Kingdra." Ash stated as he climbed into the bed next to Misty. The two were quickly pressed up against each other and snuggling as they pulled the blanket up and over themselves. A few small kisses were shared between the couple as they cuddled.

"We have to get up and get to the swap meet tomorrow. We should probably withdraw a bit from our accounts just in case. The flyer did say it was Buy-Sell-Trade at the swap meet." Misty yawned as she laid her head on Ash's chest feeling her boyfriend's arms tighten around her.

"Good idea, I'd hate to miss out on something that could be really useful." Ash mumbled as he nuzzled into Misty's soft orange hair. He'd truly fallen in love with her scent, so clean and pure, like a fresh spring rain mixed with a hint of something he couldn't identify. "Hopefully we'll find some good trades for our items."

"Here's hoping." Misty mumbled sleepily as she snuggled into Ash's warmth. He smiled happily as he pulled her closer and slowly dozed off himself. Tomorrow was another day and hopefully another good one.

**-End Chapter-**

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**Ash and Misty have found some nifty items! There's a swap meet tomorrow! Ash caught a Teddiursa! Mostly because I wanted him to have a Normal Type! The couple has also gotten in another good day of Training for their future battles. But will it be enough? Keep reading to find out!**

**Ash's Current Pokémon**

**Pikachu – Static – Tail Whip, Thundershock, Growl, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle**

**Riolu – Inner Focus – Foresight, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up, Copycat, Force Palm**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap**

**Butterfree – Compound Eyes – Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Gust, Confusion**

**Pidgeotto – Keen Eye – Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Teddiursa – Pick Up – Covet, Lick, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack**

**Misty's Current Pokémon**

**Staryu – Natural Cure – Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage**

**Starmie – Natural Cure - Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage, Protect**

**Goldeen – Lightning Rod – Peck, Tail Whip, Watersport, Supersonic, Horn Attack, Flail, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Icy Wind**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! I'll even help out with Badge design/name! You'd get to have your own Gym Leader with their own unique Badge!**

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have seven Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type and Flying Type being three of them. Steel Type and Ghost Type already have OCs planned out but Flying Type does not!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	12. Swap Meet, Copper Gym

**I need to get back into the swing of things since my mother is now at peace. She always hated feeling like she was holding anyone back, so I'll move forward in her memory! To my mother, a woman who spent her life loving and raising her children! Cheers!**

**Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! Time for a Swap Meet! Will Ash and Misty find anything good? Will they make good trades for their Items? How will Ash fair against the Steel Type Gym?**

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**If you're not a Patron please thank the ones who helped make this possible.**

**Thank you; Lu Bane Na, Frimorigo, Thomas E Nellis, Patrick Ayres, Rinnosuke, Kaymann, Jacob Ward, Evgeniy Kazanin, Daniel Williams, Victor Garrett, Brody Meech, Benjamin, Paul Nichols, Alastor God of Vengeance, Mauday, Thomas B. Wilkes, Vito Saraceno, Ct126371, Benjamin Shklyar, AC DC 1C 2C, Joseph, Callum Nowlan, Brad Goldin, Cody Lyle, Mark Edward Wyndham Tiller, Joseph Morrison, Tristan McKenzie O'Meara, Robyn Tammy Grogan, Demonhunter44, Optimum Prime, Assassin22, Fabian J. Wilkinson, MrKristoffer1994, Kenni Nielsen, Tyler Spell, Uber Ghidorah, Desert Wight, David Zimmerle, John Lashbrook, Dylan Cools, Dpc78, YouAreAPotato, Jeff Broderick, Thunderwalker123, Nathan Briggs, James Rayner, Gregory Petryka, Hoobs2, MarchVual, ChaosKnight, Kenneth Wallace, Alex Alles, AcyFus, William Potts, SloppyBludger1510, Dan, Michael I Coyle, Pe' Eng', Michael Anthony, John McCormick, Kari Kivimäki, Peter Rubinstein, Sean Wrona, Itsyaboytrav, SNagy, Terrence Henderson, Woolley Mammoth, Iachlan Ecclestone, Ausie Brooks, Takeshi, Rodrigo, Nicholas Denman, Adrian, Travis Raines, Jetrois Mathurin, Jacob Case, Nicolas Cote-Roy, Robert Beine, Skryba Spike, Robert, Lance Lumpkins, Shawn Nico, Mario Matias, Darrell Jay Cook, John W, Gary Brown, Keith Miller, Walp010, Dragontation, Charlie Passingham, Connor Roeves, Lavick Vell, Andrew Chapman, Orthodox1057, Tiny Death, Crusher92, Robert Tetreault, Nichols Fields, Andrew Dion, Irish92, Zachary Appleby, John, Travis McRice, Vonhjin, Dale Gibson, Alex Williams, James Glasgow, Charles, Peeyush Tambe, DawnofAzazel, Kori K, Kraxis93, Caleb Suchecki, Sierra Chandler, Aeonstorm, Daniel Harris, Ernest M Diaz, Jeffery Campbell, Metal9858, Th31695, Rafael Ramos, Zachary Doucette, Shadow_Wolf, Jimmy Dashner, DarkMoonUmbreon, and Leonardo.**

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**Thanks to my patron Rafael Ramos, Azure Town's Flying Type Gym Leader has now been created and will be challenged by Ash! How will Ash fair against Jack the user of odd Flying Types?**

**Chapter 13 is already available for Patrons!**

**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

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**Chapter 12 – Swap Meet, Copper Gym**

"How much do you think I should withdraw?" Ash asked as he stood in front of the ATM at the Pokémon Center.

"I took out ten thousand just to be safe." Misty replied as she stood off to the side.

"Ten thousand it is then." Ash nodded as he withdrew the PokeYen from his account. With money in hand the couple left the Pokémon Center and headed towards the Swap Meet in the town's large park. Pikachu had elected to stay in their room at the Pokémon Center and was currently snuggled under the covers on the bed. Ash thought Pikachu could use a break and he wasn't expecting to get into any battles today so he'd let Pikachu have his way. It only took about twenty minutes to walk to the park and the couple spent that time in conversation about what they might find.

"Welcome to the Swap Meet! Buy, Sell, Trade, we do it all here!" A portly man welcomed them as they passed through the entrance to the park.

"Thanks!" Ash and Misty smiled as they entered the park and gazed at all the stalls and spaces set up by various people.

"Well, no time to waste, let's look around." Misty grinned as she and Ash interlaced their fingers and started walking through the Meet. The couple passed several stalls without seeing anything that interested them. Some people were being loud and trying to attract people to their spot, while others were calmly sitting and waiting for people to show interest in what they had.

"Hmm, haven't seen anything that jumps out yet." Ash commented as they passed through the first section of the meet.

"Let's walk a bit further in; the people that got here early will probably have set up closer to the center of the park." Misty responded as she made a turn and headed in the direction she indicated. Ash followed along with his girlfriend and hoped they'd find something interesting. Walking along Ash and Misty still kept an eye out for anything interesting but didn't see much. Arriving at the center of the park the two saw a small stage with various people sitting in front of it. Curious, they approached the area to find out what was going on.

"I have eight thousand for the full Power Training Set! Do I hear eight thousand five hundred?" The man behind the podium on the stage shouted to the crowd.

"Oh it's an auction." Misty commented as she watched the auctioneer look around the crowd for any further bids.

"A full Power Training Set for only eight thousand PokeYen is a steal!" Ash exclaimed as he watched on. The Power Training items were specially made weights that helped Pokémon get the most out of their training. A Pokémon that trained with the Power Weight, Bracer, Anklet, Band and Belt would grow in strength quickly, but the trade-off was the cost of the Items themselves. Each individual Power Item usually cost around three thousand PokeYen, on average, so the total cost was fifteen thousand for a full set.

"Eight thousand going once! Twice!" The auctioneer started only to be interrupted as man stood up from the crowd.

"Eight thousand five hundred!" The man bid loudly.

"I have eight thousand five hundred!" The auctioneer called out. This bid however seemed to upset another bidder at the auction.

"Fuck you, Dave!" Another man, about the same age as the currently standing man, yelled at the most recent bidder.

"Kiss my ass, Matt!" Dave yelled back as he turned on the man who yelled at him.

"The both of you shut up now!" An older lady yelled at the two men, making both of them flinch.

"Sorry, ma'am." Dave and Matt apologized as they sat back down.

"Dumb Black Belts, always so hot headed!" The older woman groused as the auction resumed.

"Something tells me those two guys have a history." Misty giggled as she and Ash walked away from the auction area.

"Kind of reminded me of when Gary and I were younger." Ash chuckled while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. They'd gotten into their fair share of arguments that had to be broken up.

The next several minutes were spent walking around the circumference of the park center while looking at various things. Misty had made notes of some stalls she'd like to look at more in-depth on their second walk around; while Ash was looking for any stall that had Evolution Stones. If the merchant specialized in Evolution Stones they'd know how rare Ash's Dusk Stone was in Kanto. That could easily lead to a better trade for his Evolution Stone.

"Hey Ash, there's one." Misty whispered to him as she subtly gestured to a stall with various Evolutionary Items on display.

"Awesome Misty; thanks for spotting it." Ash thanked her as he squeezed her hand softly. The orangette grinned as she squeezed back and they made their way towards the stand. The stall owner, a man looking to be in his thirties with dark hair and brown eyes, noticed their approach and gave them a smile.

"What can I help you with, youngsters?" The man asked as he spread his arms over his display. "I've got just about anything you could need to help a Pokémon evolve. If there is anything in particular you're looking for just let me know."

"Do you do trades?" Ash questioned and the man's eyes took on a glint as he grinned.

"In fact, I do, young man. What're you offering?" The man questioned. Ash had to let go of Misty's hand to reach back and undo his pack so he could pull out his Dusk Stone. Placing the Stone on the counter Ash and Misty both noticed the merchant's eyes widen slightly. "Well, I'll be…" The man trailed off as he looked over the black stone carefully.

"I found that Dusk Stone in the pit mines yesterday. I was hoping to find something worthwhile to trade it for." Ash commented as the merchant sat the Stone down carefully knowing that it was the genuine article after inspecting it.

"Well you've come to the right man, the name's Luka, I know just about everything there is to know when it comes to Evolutionary Items." Luka grinned. "Now let's talk about what I can interest you in for that Dusk Stone."

"Let's see what you've got." Ash grinned as Luka showed off his display. The selection was rather impressive to say the least. Metal Coats, Razor Claws and Fangs, a Protector, an Electrilizer, a few Deep Sea Scales and Deep Sea Tooth items, some King's Rocks and damn near every Evolution Stone known to exist. Except, Ash noticed, Dusk Stones.

"Let me know what you're interested in." Luka smiled. "I'll give you a good trade."

"Hmm, what would be good?" Ash mused looking over the items and stones. A quick glance at Misty, seeing her calmly waiting for him, made Ash smile softly before he pondered on what he could get that might help both of them. "I do have Poliwag; he'll eventually want to evolve into either Poliwrath or Politoed. Maybe a Water Stone or a King's Rock then?"

"For a Stone as rare as a Dusk Stone is in Kanto I'd be willing to part with two King's Rocks for it." Luka smiled making Ash look up at the man. Misty perked up hearing the offer and wondered what Ash would do.

"I don't know, Dusk Stones are really rare in Kanto, after all, King's Rocks are uncommon but you can find them if you look hard enough." Ash feigned disinterest at the offer. Misty quirked an eyebrow at Ash's statement, this was different than she expected. Who knew that her boyfriend knew how to haggle?

"How about three King's Rocks then? Two for you and one for your pretty girlfriend over there?" Luka tried to sweeten the deal as he placed three King's Rocks next to Ash's Dusk Stone. Misty's cheeks turned pink at publicly being called Ash's girlfriend for the first time.

"Hmm, I guess I'm interested, but I don't see anything else I want." Ash led making Luka's eye twitch a bit.

"Alright, alright, three King's Rocks and two thousand PokeYen, final offer!" Luka stated while placing down two bills next to the King's Rocks. "Come on, I have to get an even trade too, you know."

"Ok, I accept." Ash nodded shaking Luka's hand and collecting his King's Rocks and the two PokeYen bills.

"Come back if you need any more Items!" Luka smiled as he picked up the Dusk Stone and turned around to place it with the other Evolution Stones he had.

"Here Misty." Ash smiled as he handed his girlfriend one of the King's Rocks.

"Thank you Ash, but why?" Misty asked as she placed the King's Rock in her rucksack that she'd brought with her.

"Just cause." Ash grinned as he put away his own King's Rocks. He wasn't expecting to suddenly feel Misty's lips on his cheek but broke into a smile regardless.

"You're going to spoil me at this rate." Misty winked as she interlaced their fingers again.

"Worth it." Ash quipped getting a playful eye roll from Misty. "Besides King's Rocks evolve Poliwag into Politoed or Slowpoke into Slowking. Both are Water Types and you already have a Water Stone if Poliwag wants to evolve into Poliwrath. So now I've completed your options." He smiled as he squeezed her hand softly.

"I'm getting you something now, no arguments." Misty smiled back while Ash nodded his acceptance. Misty and Ash walked for a bit before Ash noticed one of the specific stalls he'd been hoping to find at the Meet.

"Hey, Misty, I think I found one." Ash informed the orangette as he nodded towards a stand that had a sign with a Dragonite on it. Misty looked confused for a moment before realization appeared in her eyes.

"Awesome!" Misty cheered as she quickly walked towards the stand. Ash just chuckled as he let his excited girlfriend drag him along.

"Welcome." The older lady sitting behind the counter greeted. "My name is Kiara a Dragon Trainer from Blackthorn City. How can I help you two today?" Kiara greeted them, her true age was hard to pin down but she was probably in her later thirties. With black hair down to her shoulders and a set of warm green eyes both Misty and Ash got the feeling that she was probably still a rather formidable Trainer.

"I found something in the mines yesterday that I'd like to trade, if possible." Misty replied as she moved her rucksack and pulled out the Dragon Fang she'd found the day before.

"Oh, my, my, a Dragon Fang and a rather large one at that." Kiara smiled. "Might I look it over? I can probably tell you what Dragon Type it came from."

"Sure." Misty agreed as she let the older lady take the item. Kiara hummed lightly as she looked the fossilized fang over for a few moments before nodding her head.

"This is the fang of a Salamence, a rather large specimen for its species too." Kiara informed and Ash made a mental note to look up that specific Pokémon later. "I'd be interested in trading with you, young lady, what might you be interested in?" With that Kiara reached under the counter and pulled out a large tray of Items.

"Let's see." Misty mumbled as she looked over the various Items. Trinkets and jewelry didn't seem to interest Ash so those were out. A few Pearls were available but they were mostly easier to sell than make into anything. There was a strange glass flute, tinted a yellowish color, but Ash had never mentioned being able to play an instrument. Misty kept perusing the large tray before her eyes locked onto something and she started enough to catch Ash's attention.

"Misty, what's wrong?" Ash questioned as he moved to stand beside her in case she needed something.

"Ma'am, you do know what this is, right?" Misty asked Kiara as she pointed at a yellowish-rock with a small black spot inside of it.

"Very much so, young lady." Kiara nodded as she picked up the Item. "Old Amber, as it's known. This is a type of fossilization and contains the genetic information of Aerodactyl. One of the 'Fossil' Pokémon and often considered by many to be an ancestor to many modern day Dragon Type Pokémon."

"You could have it revived though, why trade it?" Misty questioned as Kiara placed the Old Amber back on the tray.

"As it sits, it is merely a fossil, but if a Trainer believes they are capable of handling an Aerodactyl then I won't tell them what to do with it. Old Amber may be rare but it is still findable by anyone that's willing to put in the effort. Some groups of Dragon Trainers have taken Aerodactyl on as an unofficial Dragon Type. Even the Elder of the Dragon's Den has seen fit to have his grandson, Champion Lance, raise an Aerodactyl for his training." Kiara explained as she smiled at the two teens. "As for myself, I much prefer Dragonair, Altaria, and Noivern."

"What's a Noivern?" Ash asked never having encountered such a Pokémon in his studies.

"Kalos-native Dragon Types, would you like to see one?" Kiara asked getting nods from both Ash and Misty. With a grin Kiara pulled out a Pokeball, enlarged it, and tossed it into the grass behind her stall. What emerged in a flash of white was a mostly black and purple Pokémon with blue-green coloration on its wings and inside it large ears, it also had a patch of white fur around its neck. It stood at a fairly impressive height of around seven feet with a long tail behind it.

"Noi?" The Dragon Type inquired looking around and flexing its ears examining its surroundings.

"These two young Trainers just wanted to see you Noivern. They've never been to your species' native lands." Kiara calmed her Pokémon and the Dragon Type made its way over to the stall to examine Ash and Misty.

"Hey there Noivern, I'm Ash." Ash greeted as he held his hand up for Noivern to examine.

"I'm Misty, Noivern; you're so much different from the Dragon Types native to Kanto." Misty smiled as she held up her own hand. Both Ash's and Misty's hands began to glow light blue with their Aura and Kiara's eyes widened as she looked on. Noivern sniffed at both hands and its large ears twitched in front of them as well before it gave a happy call and allowed Ash and Misty to pet it.

"My word, you're both Aura users, I'd have never guessed. In my travels I so rarely encounter any that I've fallen out of the habit of checking." Kiara smiled gently.

"You can use Aura too?" Misty asked as she gently stroked Noivern's head.

"Oh yes, any Dragon Trainer from the Dragon's Den in Blackthorn is taught the ways of Aura." Kiara explained as her eyes briefly glowed and she started slightly as her eyes fell on Ash. "A Guardian? I've never met one before."

"Oh, yeah I'm Ash Ketchum, one of the last few Ketchum's left." Ash explained as Noivern happily nuzzled against his hand.

"Well you're certainly keeping her happy." Kiara chuckled at seeing her Dragon Type being so affectionate with Ash. "Have you ever considered raising a Dragon Type yourself?"

"I'd love to, but Dragon Types are fairly rare in Kanto. Only the Dragonite line are directly native and aside from them only a few migrating Dragon Types like Salamence, Altaria, and the occasional Kingdra in the ocean are found." Ash sighed as he rubbed Noivern's soft neck fur.

"Well I won't deny that. Getting a Dratini to trust you enough to let you get close is an ordeal in and of itself. Training them takes even longer." Kiara nodded before adopting a thinking expression. "Ash, are you planning to travel through most of Kanto on your journey?"

"Yes, I'm hoping to challenge the Top Eight Gyms this year along with a couple of the other Gyms so that I can enter this year's Indigo League Conference." Ash replied as Misty was being nuzzled by Noivern.

"Do you know where Cyanteal Town is located?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah, it's just south of Vermilion City, follow the shore of the Kanto Bay and you'll find it about halfway between Vermilion City and Fuchsia City. It's a bit further inland but not more than a few hours walk." Ash replied remembering the map of the Kanto Region in his head.

"Correct. It is also where the Dragon Type Gym of Kanto is stationed. I'm friends with Tatsuya, the Gym Leader. He started his training at the Dragon's Den a couple years after I did. How about I give you a recommendation to receive a Dragon Type from him?" Kiara offered making Ash's eyes widen in shock.

"Really?! You'd do that?" Ash questioned as Noivern tilted her head back and nuzzled Ash until he started petting her again.

"Of course, though you would have to prove your worth to Tatsuya before he'll deem you worthy of a Dragon Type. He always was a bit of a stickler for the rules and traditions of the Dragon's Den." Kiara laughed at her old friend's disposition.

"I'd greatly appreciate it." Ash thanked Kiara with a small bow.

"Don't mention it, Ash, anyone who can get my Noivern to act so carefree just after meeting her has a way with Dragon Types." Kiara replied with a smile.

"What Dragon Type do you think he'd give me if I manage to prove myself?" Ash asked curiously making Kiara think for a moment.

"Probably one of the easier species to raise. Many Dragon Types fall under the category of Pseudo Legends and they're difficult to handle. So for someone just starting out he'll probably be more inclined to give you a Swablu, Trapinch, or Noibat, the pre-evolved form of Noivern, since they're a bit gentler towards their Trainers.

"I could have a Noivern like yours? That'd be awesome!" Ash exclaimed getting a happy cry from Noivern as he pet the Dragon Type.

"Just let me get a quick picture of you Ash, I'll send it along with my recommendation." Kiara smiled as she pulled out her phone and took Ash's picture. "Now, back to this Dragon Fang, which Item would you like for trade?"

"Actually, I think that recommendation is more than enough." Misty smiled as she took Ash's hand in her own.

"Are you sure, Misty? You could get something nice for it." Ash inquired only to get a grin from his girlfriend.

"I told you I'd get you something too." Misty winked at him and Ash could only laugh as he pulled her into a hug.

"Well, not how I was expecting this to go, but if that's enough for you who am I to argue?" Kiara chuckled as she picked up the Dragon Fang and placed it securely in a pack beside her feet.

"Thanks again for the recommendation, Kiara!" Ash waved as he and Misty started to walk away. Kiara waved back before putting her Noivern back into her Pokeball. With a chuckle she dialed a number and waited for the other person to pick up. Once she heard her friend's voice she spoke.

"Hey, Tatsuya, it's been a little while." Kiara greeted. "Yes, I'm doing well. I'm in Copper Town at a Swap Meet and I've just had the most delightful encounter with an actual Aura Guardian." She told her friend. "He befriended my Noivern so quickly I almost didn't believe it. I'd like to recommend you test him out and see if he's worthy of a Dragon Type." She explained before listening to her friend for a moment. "Yes, of course he'll have to prove himself, I'm aware. His name is Ash Ketchum; I'll send you his picture in a moment. I'm sure he'll be stopping by your Gym in a month or two. I'm sure you'll find him a delight just like I did."

While this call was going on Ash and Misty had continued through the Swap Meet and circled back to visit a couple stalls that Misty had spotted. Misty and Ash had taken notice of Luka's stall again and Ash and Misty both chuckled when they noticed the merchant had a new item on display. A complete set of Evolution Stones in a box all by themselves; with Fire, Water, Grass, Moon, Dawn, Shiny, Dusk, Sun, Ice, and Oval stones all neatly arranged. After a few hours the couple left with a bit less cash and a few new items, Misty had a few new clothes to add to her pack while both she and Ash had haggled over some specialty Pokeballs at another stall. Getting a Dusk Ball, a Quick Ball, a Nest Ball and two Apricorn Balls, a Level Ball and a Heavy Ball made Ash a happy camper. While Misty had gotten herself two Dive Balls, and three Apricorn Balls, two Lure Balls and a Repeat Ball. Misty had also gotten Ash a deal on a Good Rod of his own, making Ash tease her about how they could go on 'Fishing Dates' now. Misty had blushed prettily before telling him she'd be expecting them now. Ash could only nod and agree after that.

-The Next Morning-

Ash and Misty were walking towards the Copper Town Gym together. Ash was determined to win his next Badge and Misty was there to support him all the way. The Copper Town Gym was a large two story building that was made of stone and metal. It was also clearly connected to the mining of the town as an office for the local mining company was attached on one side.

"You'll do great, Ash, I know it." Misty encouraged her boyfriend.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered as he stood on Ash's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll do my best and get my next Badge!" Ash agreed before they entered the building. Meeting with a receptionist they were quickly led to the battlefield to meet the Gym Leader.

"The name's Dustin. I'm the Leader of the Copper Town Gym. What's your name and Trainer Level?" Dustin questioned with a wide grin.

"My name is Ash Ketchum and I'm Rookie Level, this will be my second Gym Challenge." Ash told him as he stood in the challenger's box.

"Rookie Level, are ya? Well we do Two on Two matches for Rookies at the Copper Town Gym. Is that alright with you?" Dustin asked as he palmed a Pokeball he'd pulled from his belt.

"That's fine with me!" Ash nodded as he pulled his first Pokeball off his belt and expanded it. Dustin grinned at Ash's readiness to battle while the cameras around the battlefield turned on to record the match. When the referee was ready he began the match.

"This is an official Pokémon League Gym Battle. The Challenger is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. This will be a Two on Two battle, the first Trainer to have both Pokémon rendered unable to battle loses. Additionally only the Challenger may substitute Pokémon. Are you both ready to begin?" The referee asked after going through the standard League pre-battle announcement before turning to Ash and asking if he was ready.

"Since I'm the Gym Leader and all I'll do you the favor of sending my Pokémon out first. Come on out, Magnemite!" Dustin called as he tossed the first Pokeball. In a flash of white light a metallic Pokémon with a magnet on each side of its body appeared.

"Mite!" The Electric/Steel Type called out.

"I wasn't sure if I'd be going up against a Magnemite today." Ash stated before tossing his own Pokeball. "Come on out, Riolu!" From the ball appeared the familiar blue and black colored Fighting Type. Upon noticing the opponent in front of him Riolu immediately took up a fighting stance.

"Rio!" Riolu called out in challenge to the floating Magnemite.

"First move is yours kid." Dustin offered with a chuckle.

"Riolu use Bulk Up!" Ash called getting a bark from Riolu as the Fighting Type flexed his muscles and was enveloped in a reddish-orange glow.

"Magnemite, Thunder Wave!" Dustin ordered getting his Magnemite to spark electricity off its magnets before launching the paralyzing attack at Riolu.

"Quick Attack to dodge then another Bulk Up!" Ash instructed. Riolu dodged Magnemite's attack in a streak of white aura before flexing and raising its Attack and Defense again.

"Not bad, kid! But how about this?" Dustin asked before he gave another command. "Magnemite use Magnet Bomb!"

"Mag!" Magnemite called out before unleashing fragments of metal that zoomed towards Riolu.

"Riolu dodge with another Quick Attack!" Ash called out. "Keep going with Quick Attack until you're beside Magnemite and then use Force Palm!" Riolu rushed around the Magnet Bomb and rapidly closed in on Magnemite. Ash suddenly noticed the metal fragments zooming back towards Riolu from behind. "Riolu, behind you!" Unfortunately for the Fighting Type it was too late as the attack landed and sent Riolu skidding forward.

"Magnet Bomb never misses, kid!" Dustin grinned. "Thunder Wave!"

"Move Riolu!" Ash called only for Riolu to get shocked and have sparks appear over his body. Riolu had been paralyzed.

"Metal Sound!" Dustin called out. Magnemite unleashed a horrible screeching noise the sound waves of which staggered Riolu and a blue glow over took the jackal-like Pokémon lowering his Special Defense. "Now Mirror Shot!"

"Hit the deck!" Ash yelled out not wanting Riolu to take the attack after having his Special Defense lowered. Riolu hit the ground and felt the beam of Steel Type Aura fly just above him before he heard Ash again. "Blaze Kick!" Ash called planning to take Dustin's Magnemite down with a different super effective move. Riolu growled as his foot ignited and he launched the kick straight up into the floating Pokémon above him.

"Mite!" Magnemite cried out as it was sent several feet straight up from the Bulk Up empowered attack.

"Magnemite!" Dustin called out worried for his Pokémon. Magnemite struggled to right itself before it refocused on the paralyzed Fighting Type. "Mirror Shot!"

"Riolu!" Ash called out, but unfortunately Riolu couldn't move this time and took the blast head on. Ash's eyes glowed briefly as he looked through the smoke for his Pokémon's Aura. Finding Riolu still conscious Ash quickly gave another order as he noticed that Magnemite had lowered itself back down from its previous height. "Force Palm!"

"Rio!" Riolu roared as it burst through the dust and smashed its palm into Magnemite head on. Less than a second later Fighting Type Aura blasted Magnemite back across the field.

"Critical hit! Magnemite is unable to battle! The winner is Riolu!" The referee announced before turning to Dustin. "Gym Leader send out your last Pokémon!"

"Return Magnemite, you worked hard out there." Dustin thanked his Pokémon as he recalled it. "Not too bad kiddo, but how will you deal with this one?!" Dustin questioned as he tossed his next Pokeball and a large Skarmory appeared on the battlefield with a shriek.

"Skar!" Skarmory called out as it took to the air.

"Riolu, come on back! You're done for today, buddy!" Ash told his Fighting Type getting a weak bark in reply. With a red beam Ash recalled Riolu and turned to the referee. "I'm forfeiting my Riolu; he can't fight with his status and injuries."

"Challenger has forfeited his first Pokémon." The referee declared. "Challenger please send out your final Pokémon!"

"You're up, Pikachu!" Ash called out sending his starter into battle. Pikachu jumped onto the field while sparking his cheeks at the large Steel/Flying Type.

"Careful, my Skarmory hits pretty hard!" Dustin commented before calling out his attack. "Agility!" Skarmory glowed red as it started zipping through the air at increased speed.

"Thunder Wave!" Ash called as Pikachu tried to keep his eyes on the fast moving bird. With a cry Pikachu launched the Electric attack only for Skarmory to avoid it.

"Swift!" Dustin called out getting Skarmory to unleash a barrage of the star-shaped bolts at Pikachu. Unable to dodge the attack Pikachu guarded as best he could. The dust rose up from the impact of the attack only for Dustin to give another command. "Swords Dance into Steel Wing!"

"Skar!" Skarmory cried out as it flapped its wings furiously and was surrounded by an orange glow. Skarmory then dropped from the sky towards Pikachu its wings taking on a bright metallic shine.

"Pikachu dodge with a Quick Attack!" Ash instructed as Pikachu dashed out of the dust cloud and raced around the field.

"Too slow!" Dustin called out and before Pikachu could react Skarmory was upon the Electric Type and slamming its large wings into the Mouse Pokémon.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out as he was sent tumbling.

"Steel Wing!" Dustin called again and Pikachu only had a moment to react.

"Thunder Wave!" Ash called and Pikachu released the paralyzing current into Skarmory at point blank range. Unfortunately this did nothing to stop Skarmory from finishing its attack and sending Pikachu across the field.

"Skarmory!" Dustin called out as he watched his Pokémon crash into the ground after the attack with sparks appearing all over the Steel/Flying Type's body.

"Pikachu!" Ash called out in worry. "Are you alright buddy?!" Pikachu forced himself up and sparked his cheeks but was clearly on his last legs.

"Swift!" Dustin called out hoping to end the fight since Skarmory's flight would be hindered by the paralysis.

"Electro Ball!" Ash responded. Pikachu gathered the electricity into a ball at the end of his tail while the stars closed in on him.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as he launched the attack only to be overtaken by the Swift attack and collapse.

"Skarmory move!" Dustin called out in worry for his Pokémon. But Skarmory's body sparked all over preventing the large bird from moving, it took the Electro Ball and was knocked to the ground.

"Pikachu, are you ok?!" Ash called out in worry before using his Aura to see through the dust and noticed his Pokémon's Aura was slow, nearly unmoving, indicating unconsciousness.

"That's the way Skarmory!" Dustin cheered as Ash watched the large bird stumble its way back to its feet and let out a challenging shriek.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! The winner is Skarmory!" The referee announced while raising his hand towards Dustin. "The Gym Leader wins the battle!" Ash wasted no time once the battle was called to rush over to Pikachu.

"I've got you buddy. We'll get you and Riolu to the Pokémon Center as fast as possible, I promise." Ash whispered to his Pokémon before he picked him up gently.

"Skarmory, return. You did great." Dustin praised as he recalled his Pokémon. "You put up a good fight, Ash, learn from this battle and come challenge me again." Dustin stated as he held out his hand and Ash carefully shook it making sure not to jostle Pikachu.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to win next time." Ash promised as he headed off the field and was quickly joined by Misty.

"Kid is better than he realizes, I look forward to battling him again." Dustin nodded to himself.

"Is Pikachu alright?" Misty asked as she and Ash left the Gym together to get his Pokémon treated.

"He doesn't look too bad, but I'm worried about those powered up Steel Wing attacks he took. Pikachu aren't known for their durability after all." Ash replied as he looked Pikachu over.

"Pika…" Pikachu groaned as it tried to lay still.

"I know buddy, I know. We might have lost this time but we'll get them next time." Ash encouraged.

"Chu…" Pikachu replied with his little fist raised in the air.

"You'll do great, both of you will." Misty nodded while offering her own support. She was happy that Ash wasn't letting his first loss get him down. That was a slippery slope that many Trainers fell down and never recovered from.

**-End Chapter-**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Well damn! Our boy took his first loss. How will Ash recover from this? Will he rise up and overcome this challenge? Will Misty help him out? The answer to both is yes! More training is required! Plus Ash has been recommended for a trial to see if he's worthy of a Dragon Type this early on in his journey! He just has a few stops to make first.**

**Ash's Current Pokémon**

**Pikachu – Static – Tail Whip, Thundershock, Growl, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle**

**Riolu – Inner Focus – Foresight, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up, Copycat, Force Palm**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap**

**Butterfree – Compound Eyes – Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Gust, Confusion**

**Pidgeotto – Keen Eye – Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Teddiursa – Pick Up – Covet, Lick, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack**

**Misty's Current Pokémon**

**Staryu – Natural Cure – Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage**

**Starmie – Natural Cure - Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage, Protect**

**Goldeen – Lightning Rod – Peck, Tail Whip, Watersport, Supersonic, Horn Attack, Flail, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Icy Wind**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! I'll even help out with Badge design/name! You'd get to have your own Gym Leader with their own unique Badge!**

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Ash will challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type, Flying Type and Dragon Type being the four. All four now have OCs planned out thanks to some awesome patrons!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	13. Training and Rematch

**Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! Ash took his first loss against Copper Town's Gym Leader, Dustin. Now we see his resolve to get stronger for his rematch!**

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**Chapter 13 – Training and Rematch**

It had been just past a day when Ash's Riolu and Pikachu had been given the 'all clear' by Nurse Joy to resume their training. Ash had profusely thanked both of his Pokémon for their hard work in their battle against the Copper Town Gym. Both Pikachu and Riolu were eager to get back into training and get stronger to defeat their opponents and help their friend win his second Badge. With that determination Ash and Misty took their Pokémon to the Training Facility again.

"Let's work hard together everyone!" Ash cheered getting calls of agreement from his Pokémon. Misty could only smile at seeing her boyfriend and his Pokémon so pumped up for training even after his first loss. She really shouldn't have suspected anything less though she supposed, Ash wasn't a quitter after all.

"We'll be in the pool for a bit." Misty informed getting Ash to nod. "Can you get my Skiddo in on your training while I work with Goldeen, Poliwag, and the others?"

"Sure thing Misty!" Ash grinned as he accepted and waved his girlfriend's Skiddo over to stand by his brother. "Time to train!" The various cries of his group of Pokémon replied with enthusiasm and they moved over to the cardio area to start. Misty headed off to the pool and the changing rooms to get into her swimsuit so she could get her own training in. She needed to get stronger for the Water City Competition if she really wanted to win.

"Shouldn't be too long now, Poliwag is about the right size and Goldeen is starting to show coloration differences." Misty mused as she changed into her swimsuit. They both needed a bit more training and a few good battles and they'd get the push they needed.

"Keep it up guys! You're all doing great!" Ash encouraged his Pokémon as they continued their cardio. Poliwag had really started taking well to walking on land now. The Tadpole Pokémon's legs were much stronger and better developed after all of his training. He wondered if that meant Poliwag would evolve sometime in the near future? He'd have to ask Misty for her opinion about it, she'd probably know with her extensive knowledge of Water Type Pokémon.

After cardio came some strength training with the weights and working the bag a bit Ash thought about his Pokémon's improvements. Pikachu was finally able to get a consistent glow of Steel Type Aura from his tail and now had to work on strengthening the move until it was properly formed. Both his and Misty's Skiddo had started digging at the ground with their cloven hooves recently. According to his Pokedex this behavior was a good sign that they'd started getting a feel for Ground Type Aura in preparation to learn the move Bulldoze. The Skiddo species apparently learned the move naturally as they grew and aged.

"Speaking of new moves…" Ash trailed off as he looked over Pikachu and Riolu. Maybe a couple of new moves were just what they needed to defeat Dustin's Steel Types and win the Metal Badge. After the group had finished their weight and bag sets Ash sent his other Pokémon over to Misty to cool down and relax while taking Riolu and Pikachu over to the TM section of the Facility for the first time.

"Interested in teaching a new move or two?" A friendly looking Facility employee asked as he sat behind the desk next to the door. He was probably in his early twenties with light brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing the standard Facility uniform of a white polo and khaki shorts, both with the Facility logo on them.

"Yeah, I think we need a bit of a change up to take down Gym Leader Dustin's Steel Types." Ash replied while Pikachu and Riolu let out calls of agreement.

"I see," The employee chuckled. "Dustin's a tough nut to crack and his Pokémon have pretty high Attack and Defense power. But the right moves can turn the tide of any battle! I'm Adam, the Move Tutor here at the Copper Town Training Facility." Adam introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, Adam. I'm Ash and these are Pikachu and Riolu." Ash introduced himself and his Pokémon.

"Good to meet you, Ash! Now what moves are these two looking to learn?" Adam asked as he knelt down and gently patted both Pokémon on the head.

"We need something that'll let us avoid some of those powerful attacks from Dustin's Pokémon. Definitely need something that'll protect Pikachu from the speed and attacks of Skarmory too." Ash spoke while contemplating the things they'd lacked when they'd challenged the Copper Town Gym.

"Hmm, that's a good plan, Ash. I think I have a few suggestions for you." Adam smiled as he picked up a tablet from his desk and started tapping and swiping on the screen for a few moments. "Well, not all of my ideas will work, but these two have a large and varied move pool each so I have a few winners here."

"What do you recommend?" Ash asked as Adam turned to show him the tablet screen. On the screen was a list of moves, three for Pikachu and two for Riolu.

"I'd recommend they both learn Double Team for evasion. Then a protection move like Detect for Riolu so that he can avoid sure-hit moves like Shockwave, Swift, and Magnet Bomb. Pikachu should focus on upping his protection from both Physical and Special attacks so I'd recommend both Reflect and Light Screen for him." Adam explained as Ash looked over the moves. The Move Tutor had taken his request and produced some real solutions so quickly that Ash had to say he was impressed.

"I agree with your choices, how much will this course of moves cost?" Ash asked since he had funds built up from Jobs but TM use through the Facility's Move Tutors could get pricey.

"Let's see the Double Team for each is…. Then add in Detect and the Reflect/Light Screen combo…. The total charge will be forty thousand PokeYen." Adam calculated and Ash winced at the price. Even after saving up a bit and taking a couple extra Jobs back in Pewter that would still wipe him out. He'd have less than five hundred left if he did this, but these moves could prove invaluable in not only this Gym Battle but in his future battles as well.

"Alright, let's do it, you two ready?" Ash asked getting affirmative nods from Pikachu and Riolu. Adam led the trio over to some machines and started typing into one of them.

"I'll need Pikachu and Riolu to hop up onto the table here so we can get started." Adam gestured to the table and both Pokémon jumped up onto it quickly. "Alright just need to attach the sensors, hold still you two." Adam requested of the Pokémon as he placed a series of sensors onto each Pokémon. Once the sensors were in place Adam typed a bit more on the machine and the sensors lit up on both Riolu and Pikachu before something popped up on the screen.

"What's that?" Ash asked noticing the change on the screen.

"It seems Pikachu already knows Double Team, he probably learned it instinctively recently and hasn't had the time to properly process it so that he can use it at will yet." Adam explained. "You might want to have your Pokémon's moves checked at the Pokémon Center more often. But the good news is that since we don't need to use the machine for Pikachu that cuts five thousand off your bill."

"I really should check more often." Ash nodded to himself as he knocked on the side of his head with his knuckles. He had a Pokedex that could check his Pokémon's moves whenever he wanted and he hadn't used it nearly as much as he should. "Rookie mistake, Ketchum, think about this kind of stuff from now on." He quietly admonished himself before smiling at Pikachu. "Well, we'll have to train that move up over the next few days, right buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded with determination. Even he didn't realize that the lightness of his body and the increase in his speed had developed a new move. He'd try and be more aware from now on.

"Alright then let's move on to Riolu and get his moves first." Adam suggested and Riolu gave a bark of agreement. The sensor lit up and Riolu closed his eyes as new information slowly entered his consciousness. A way to move that would push his speed to the utmost and the steps that would let him leave behind a brief after image. This information was shortly followed by information on how to notice and predict an opponent's moves and attacks. When they'd be launched, how the moves would behave, and more were suddenly floating through the Fighting Type's mind.

"Are you getting them Riolu?" Ash asked his Pokémon once the sensor lights dimmed and went out.

"Riolu!" Riolu called out with a nod as Adam removed the sensors from the jackal-like Pokémon's head.

"Alright Pikachu, your turn." Adam smiled as the sensors lit up and Pikachu closed his eyes. Information on how to utilize Psychic Type Aura floated into the Electric Type's mind. How to make a body-covering barrier from this aura that would lessen the power of Physical attacks. This was shortly followed by similar information that would enable him to make a barrier that weakened Special attacks used against him.

"Do you have them now, Pikachu?" Ash questioned as Pikachu opened his eyes.

"Pi!" Pikachu smiled as Adam removed the sensors from him.

"That's great, buddy!" Ash grinned at his Starter.

"Now to complete the course I'll have some of the Facility's Pokémon get your Pokémon familiar with using their new moves." Adam explained as he brought out two Pokeballs and released the Pokémon inside.

"Ty!" A Tyrogue called out as it appeared from the white light.

"Kada." A Kadabra intoned as it also appeared from its own white light.

"Kadabra please help instruct Pikachu on how to perform Reflect and Light Screen if you would. Tyrogue, Riolu needs to learn how to perform Double Team and Detect if you'd help." Adam instructed and the two Facility Pokémon nodded and moved over to their respective 'student'.

"Cool, it's been a while since I saw a Tyrogue." Ash smiled as he looked at the familiar Pokémon. It had been a while since his father's Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop had produced any offspring after all. Ash had considered finding one himself at some point but having Riolu on his team made that a bit redundant right now. Maybe later in his travels? He did plan to challenge Johto at some point and Tyrogue were native to that Region.

"While they're learning would you like to go ahead and get the payment done?" Adam questioned and Ash nodded as he pulled out his new debit card. He'd gotten one on Misty's suggestion since it would allow him to access all of his funds if necessary. Even with the five thousand discount this was still going to nearly decimate his account balance.

After paying Ash left Riolu and Pikachu in the care of Adam and their Pokémon instructors and went over to the pool area to check in on Misty and the other Pokémon. He resisted the urge to whistle in appreciation of his girlfriend in her navy blue bikini but still ogled her since he knew she didn't mind. Misty noticed Ash walking in and smiled at him before she noticed his eyes travelling all over her form. With a playful grin she placed her hands behind her head and struck a pose for him. Seeing Ash's eyes almost bug out had Misty dropping her arms and laughing while Ash got himself together.

"Tease." Ash called out making Misty wink at him.

"You liked it." Misty chuckled as Ash grinned back at her.

"Damn right." Ash rumbled making Misty tremble pleasantly. She gave him a seductive look with her eyes half-lidded as she moved over to the edge of the pool.

"Really? So you want me to do that more?" Misty asked with a throaty purr.

"Anytime you want." Ash replied as he knelt down to be at her level.

"Maybe if you're good." Misty teased as she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Ash met her kiss and the two briefly forgot everything else as their Auras entwined again. Pulling back the two smiled happily at each other.

"So how're Pikachu and Riolu doing?" Misty asked noticing the two weren't with him.

"They're learning some new moves right now. Almost depleted my account but it'll be worth it when we use those moves to win." Ash answered as he looked over their Pokémon. "How're you doing?"

"Good, Poliwag has grown well and Goldeen is starting to show the first signs of approaching evolution. You're Poliwag is about the same as mine, they might evolve in the next few weeks or so." Misty announced happily.

"I was going to ask you about Poliwag since he's been doing so well with walking on land recently. Good to know that his hard work will pay off in a bit." Ash smiled proudly as he watched his and Misty's Poliwag play together.

"Well another week of training here and I'm sure you'll be ready for a rematch with Dustin. He'll probably use the same Pokémon against you again. Magnemite has some Type coverage and has both status moves as well as stat reduction moves. That Skarmory of his is also tough enough to power through Electric Type attacks so he'll definitely use it again." Misty mused as she pulled herself out of the pool and stood next to Ash. Watching her boyfriend's eyes follow the water cascading down her body made Misty smirk. She reached out and placed her fingers on his chin. With a gentle push she made his eyes meet hers. "Focus, mister, there will be time for that later."

"Right, got to focus, but you can't blame me." Ash chuckled as he shook his head softly.

"Never said I did." Misty giggled feeling her self-esteem and confidence rise a bit more at Ash's attraction and affection for her. Ash smiled before turning to his Pokémon and getting them up and ready for a shorter set of the exercises they'd done earlier. He wanted to make sure he raised all of his Pokémon as equally as possible after all.

-A Week Later-

"You've got this Ash. You're training is going to pay off, I just know it." Misty stated surely while Ash nodded.

"Pika!" Pikachu growled as he stood on Ash's shoulder his cheeks sparking slightly. That giant armored turkey was going down this time!

"Yeah, I'm going full force! That Badge is mine!" Ash announced before they entered the Gym. They were led to the battlefield shortly after and Dustin stood with a grin on his mustached face.

"Welcome back, Ash, hope you've been training hard." Dustin chuckled with a wide grin.

"You're about to see just how much we've trained, Dustin!" Ash retorted with fire in his eyes as he stood in the challenger's box.

"Ha ha! That's what I like to see! An unbreakable spirit of steel!" Dustin nodded as he palmed a Pokeball he'd pulled from his belt.

"We're winning this time!" Ash called out as he pulled Riolu's Pokeball off his belt and expanded it. Dustin could only smile at Ash's readiness to battle again while the cameras around the battlefield turned on to record the match. The referee was ready quickly and began the match.

"This is an official Pokémon League Gym Battle. The Challenger is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. This will be a Two on Two battle, the first Trainer to have both Pokémon rendered unable to battle loses. Additionally only the Challenger may substitute Pokémon. Are you both ready to begin?" The referee asked after going through the standard League pre-battle announcement before turning to Ash and asking if he was ready.

"I'm sure you remember this guy! Come on out, Magnemite!" Dustin called as he tossed the first Pokeball. In a flash of white light the Magnet Pokémon appeared and sparked electricity from its magnets.

"Mite!" The Electric/Steel Type called out as it looked at the familiar Trainer in front of it.

"Oh we remember all right, I have someone that wants a rematch too." Ash stated before tossing his Pokeball. "Come on out, Riolu!" Riolu appeared on the battlefield and upon noticing the familiar opponent in front of him Riolu immediately took up a fighting stance and gave a small growl. Time to put this thing back on the ground!

"Riolu!" Riolu barked out his challenge to the floating Magnemite.

"Challenger goes first, Ash." Dustin reminded him with a chuckle.

"Riolu use Bulk Up!" Ash called getting a bark from Riolu as the Fighting Type flexed his muscles and was enveloped in the reddish-orange glow.

"Magnemite, Thunder Wave!" Dustin ordered getting his Magnemite to spark electricity off its magnets before launching the paralyzing attack at Riolu. The Gym Leader was a bit disappointed to see the same opening move from last time.

"Double Team to dodge then another Bulk Up!" Ash instructed. Riolu dodged Magnemite's attack by seemingly multiplying into eight forms. All eight then flexed and were surrounded by the glow again as Riolu's Attack and Defense increased.

"Not bad, Ash! But did you forget about this?" Dustin questioned before he gave another command. "Magnemite hit it with Magnet Bomb!"

"Mag!" Magnemite called out before unleashing fragments of metal that zoomed towards Riolu's actual position.

"Riolu…Detect!" Ash called out. Riolu's eyes glowed as he swiftly dodged every shard of metal. The Magnet Bomb ended up damaging the battlefield and not touching Riolu at all.

"Well now, you came up with a strategy to avoid a sure-hit!" Dustin grinned excitedly. "Slow it down with Thunder Wave!"

"Double Team, Riolu!" Ash called and watched as Riolu dispersed into multiple copies again. The Thunder Wave struck a Riolu only for it to waver and disappear.

"Magnet Bomb!" Dustin called out. Magnemite unleashed the metal shards again and just like before they zoomed towards the real Riolu.

"Detect!" Ash yelled out and Riolu's eyes glowed as he deftly avoided the Steel Type attack. "Screech!" Ash called planning to both startle and lower the Defense power of Dustin's Magnemite. Riolu emitted a horrifying wave of sound almost point blank at Magnemite causing the Pokémon to recoil from the noise while a blue glow surrounded its body. Magnemite's Defense had just been significantly lowered. "Force Palm!" Ash instructed and Riolu smashed his palm into Magnemite and detonated the Fighting Type Aura near instantly.

"Mite!" Magnemite cried out as it was sent bouncing across the battlefield. Two Bulk Ups empowered Riolu's attack while Magnemite's own Defense had been lowered.

"Magnemite!" Dustin called out in worry for his Pokémon. Magnemite struggled to right itself as it slowly floated back into the air.

"Damn, Magnemite must have the Sturdy Ability." Ash grumbled as he watched the barely there Magnemite try and rise off the ground to continue the battle.

"Good observation, Ash!" Dustin praised before calling out another attack. "Thunder Wave!"

"Double Team into Quick Attack!" Ash called out and Riolu became eight again before all of them blitzed towards the injured Steel/Electric Type. The Thunder Wave missed as it struck another copy and suddenly the remaining seven Riolu were right in front of Magnemite.

"Blaze Kick!" Ash gave the attack and all seven Riolu's ignited their right foot and launched the kick. Six of the attacks did nothing as the images vanished but the real attack struck Magnemite and sent it into the floor in a blaze of flames.

"Magnemite is unable to battle! The winner is Riolu!" The referee announced seeing Magnemite's eye spiraled out in unconsciousness. The referee then turned to Dustin. "Gym Leader send out your last Pokémon!"

"Return Magnemite, you worked hard out there buddy." Dustin thanked his Pokémon as he recalled it. "Not too bad Ash, but don't think you've won just yet!" Dustin laughed as he tossed his next Pokeball and the large Skarmory appeared with a shriek.

"Skarmory!" Skarmory called out as it took to the air eyeing the Fighting Type on the battlefield.

"Riolu, come on back!" Ash called as he returned Riolu to his Pokeball. "You ready, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out as he jumped from Ash's shoulder and onto the battlefield his cheeks sparking in challenge to the large Steel/Flying Type in the air.

"So another rematch, huh?!" Dustin commented before calling out his opening move. "Agility!" Skarmory glowed red and started zipping through the air faster as it boosted its Speed.

"Let's show them Pikachu! Reflect, Light Screen, Double Team!" Ash called in quick succession. Pikachu was surrounded by an off-white glow and then enveloped by a second yellow-tinted glow before dispersing into ten copies.

"Protection is a good idea but you can't escape Skarmory's Keen Eye!" Dustin informed. This was proven when Skarmory looked directly at the real Pikachu and shrieked at the Electric Type. "Swords Dance into Steel Wing!" Dustin ordered quickly.

"Skar!" Skarmory cried out as it flapped its wings furiously and was surrounded by an orange glow. Skarmory then dived from the air towards Pikachu its wings taking on a bright metallic shine.

"Pikachu hit the dirt and Thunder Wave straight up!" Ash instructed as Pikachu flattened himself to the ground just as Skarmory's wing passed above him. With a cry Pikachu released the Thunder Wave into Skarmory's body through the outstretched wing.

"Skarmory!" Dustin called out to his Pokémon as spark appeared all over the Steel/Flying Type and it crashed into the ground paralyzed.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out as he rushed towards the downed bird.

"Swift!" Dustin instructed and Pikachu only had a moment to raise his arms before Skarmory's head turned and it launched a barrage of stars from its mouth.

"Pikachu!" Ash called seeing Pikachu hit by the attack. When the small dust cloud settled Ash grinned at seeing Pikachu only mildly scuffed from the attack. Light Screen was still in effect.

"Skarmory, you have to get up!" Dustin told his Pokémon as the large bird started to get to its feet.

"Electro Ball!" Ash responded. Pikachu gathered electricity into a ball at the end of his tail and launched it at the recovering Skarmory.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried as he watched Skarmory get struck by his attack.

"Skarmory, use Iron Head!" Dustin called out to his Pokémon. Skarmory shrieked as its head glowed and it started charging towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu, don't let it get close! Electro Ball again!" Ash called out in worry using his Aura to see that Pikachu's Reflect and Light Screen had faded. A powered up Iron Head attack could do some serious damage to Pikachu.

"That's the way Skarmory!" Dustin cheered as his Pokémon rushed across the battlefield towards Pikachu.

"Chu!" Pikachu growled as he launched another Electro Ball at the charging Skarmory. The Steel/Flying Type charged through the attack, taking damage but determined to connect with its Iron Head attack.

"Dodge with Quick Attack! Electro Ball!" Ash instructed and Pikachu dashed around Skarmory before launching another Electro Ball at it. This time the Electric Type attack slammed into Skarmory's back and sent the large bird crashing forward into the ground. Using his Aura to see his opponent's Aura, Ash saw Skarmory still getting up despite the paralysis and the damage it had taken. Truly a Gym Leader's Pokémon were never to be underestimated. "One more time Pikachu!"

"Ka!" Pikachu cried as it launched another Electro Ball into the dust and knocked the recovering Skarmory out of the cloud. The large bird collapsed and its eyes spiraled into unconsciousness.

"Skarmory is unable to battle! The winner is Pikachu!" The referee announced while raising his hand towards Ash. "The Challenger wins the battle!" Ash wasted no time once the battle was called to rush over to Pikachu and catch him in his arms as the Electric Type jumped towards his Trainer.

"We did it buddy! We won our second Badge!" Ash cheered with Pikachu both ecstatic with their victory. Misty had stood up from the spectator seats and was clapping and cheering for her boyfriend and his Pokémon.

"Skarmory, return, that was some great work." Dustin praised his Pokémon as he recalled it to its Pokeball. "You did exactly what you needed to Ash. You learned from our first battle and figured out what you needed to do to pull off a win. Makes an old man proud to see the next generation growing so well." Dustin congratulated as he held out his hand and Ash gratefully shook it while Pikachu cheered from his shoulder. Dustin dug around in his overalls for a moment before pulling out a metal case. Upon opening the case a shiny badge in the shape of a hexagon was revealed. It was made of two different metals with one being a line of copper in the middle and the edges made from steel.

"This is the Metal Badge. It's proof that you've earned a victory here at the Copper Town Gym. You've earned it Ash!" Dustin smiled as he held out the case.

"Thank you, sir." Ash bowed slightly as he took out his own Badge Case and opened it. Taking the Metal Badge and placing it next to his Boulder Badge Ash couldn't help but smile at the pair.

"You also get a TM Voucher for any Steel Type move at the Training Facility. Use it well kiddo!" Dustin laughed as he handed the voucher over to Ash who quickly pocketed it. He'd make sure to place this Voucher with the one he'd gotten from Brock. "Where are you headed next Ash?" The Gym Leader questioned curiously as he watched the teen's girlfriend come down from the seats and make her way to them.

"Cerulean City, I'm going for the Cascade Badge next." Ash grinned as Misty stopped next to him and he placed his arm around her waist quickly pulling her into a hug. Misty giggled as she wrapped her arms around him and whispered her congratulations into his ear.

"Ah, the Sisters then? Well make sure you bring your best, those three try and finish battles quickly. Don't seem to have the passion for them to be honest, but they're still formidable." Dustin nodded making Misty sigh at how on the nose Dustin's description of her sisters was.

"Will do!" Ash nodded as he and Misty made their way out of the Gym to celebrate his victory.

"Let's get Pikachu and Riolu taken care of first, then we can get to some 'celebrating'~." Misty purred into Ash's ear as the couple walked towards the Pokémon Center arm in arm.

"Of course." Ash replied trying to keep his focus on getting Riolu and Pikachu treatment first instead of how nice it felt to have Misty pressed into his side. It didn't take long to get their Pokémon into Nurse Joy's care and the two lovers quickly went up to their room. Misty made sure the 'Do Not Disturb' sign was on the door before they closed and locked it.

"Now, let's celebrate." Misty teased as she pressed herself up against Ash and wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips met gently as they shared a kiss and their Auras quickly entwined again. Feeling each other's emotions increased their desire for one another and their kiss quickly deepened. Misty moaned as Ash's hands trailed down her sides and ended up cupping her ass. He pulled her tighter against him as they kissed and Misty tightened her arms behind his neck. Ash groaned at the contact and slipped his hands down further to the back of Misty's thighs. With barely a warning he lifted his girlfriend up and let her wrap her long legs around his waist.

"Mmm." Ash hummed into their lip lock as he held Misty up and groped her ass. Misty reciprocated as she ground herself into him providing a stimulating friction between them. Ash gently turned and lowered Misty onto the bed their lips barely leaving each other's to take in a few breaths before they were connected again.

"Ash, more." Misty moaned into his ear as she began pulling at his shirt. Ash complied and tossed off his hat and pulled off his shirt. Misty let out a thrilled giggle as her hands quickly started roaming over her boyfriend's bare chest. Ash tilted his head and placed butterfly kisses along Misty's neck making the orangette sigh pleasantly and move her head to the side to give him more access. Ash gently nipped at Misty's skin making her gasp as he left tiny marks on the delicate skin of her neck.

"Not fair." Ash mumbled out as he gently tugged at the hem of Misty's shirt.

"Make it fair." Misty teased as she leaned up so that Ash could pull her shirt off of her. Misty wasted no time in removing her bra so that her torso was just as bare as Ash's. Ash gazed at his girlfriend's breasts for the second time and was still captivated by them. With a rumble in his throat he leaned down and took one into his mouth while cupping the other in his hand. "Ash~!" Misty moaned as her boyfriend licked and sucked on her breast while fondling the other. Their Auras flared and a rush of emotion nearly overwhelmed the two as they pressed against each other. Ash switched his mouth to the other breast as he worked to bring Misty more pleasure. The orangette wrapped her legs around Ash's waist again and pulled their hips together feeling her boyfriend's hardness through their clothes.

"Misty~." Ash breathed out as he massaged her breasts and kissed her again. "So soft~."

"Hmm, pants…off." Misty moaned huskily as she reluctantly unwrapped her legs from Ash's waist. Ash stood up and practically yanked off his shoes before working on his pants. Misty giggled at seeing how eager he was and quickly kicked off her own shoes before undoing her shorts and pulling them off. She was already soaked and Ash seemed to notice as his eyes wouldn't leave her panties. "Don't stare…it's embarrassing." Misty whined as she threw her shorts at him. Ash caught the shorts and could practically smell Misty's arousal from them.

"Just look at me." Ash breathed out as he and Misty got onto the bed properly and he kneeled between her thighs. Their eyes met and Misty's hands grasped his shoulders pulling him down into a steamy kiss. They began to grind against each other feeling the shocks of pleasure from the friction that their thin underwear couldn't stop.

"Ash~." Misty moaned into their kiss as they moved against one another. Misty's right hand left Ash's shoulder and trailed down his body before stopping at the waistband of his boxers. Ash stopped moving and looked at her with a warm gaze that made her insides squirm in pleasure. With his tacit approval Misty's fingers slipped beneath the waistband and she felt his erection for the first time with her bare skin. "Hot~." She mumbled as she wrapped her fingers around his length. Ash hissed from the sensation and Misty stilled wondering if she'd hurt him.

"Feels good~." Ash breathed out before leaning down and capturing her lips for another deep, tongue-filled kiss. Misty kissed him back with all the passion she had and resumed her soft stroking. She was moving mostly by instinct but was trying to remember what she'd seen on the Internet in the back of her lust fogged mind. "Mmm~ yes." Ash hissed again as he gently moved into his girlfriend's strokes. "You're good~."

"I'm a teenager with access to the Internet, silly, so of course I've seen some things." Misty giggled as she carefully sped up her stroking while Ash went back to kissing and nipping her neck and fondling her breasts. Misty moaned at the feelings Ash was giving her and tried to time her strokes with his gentle thrusts to make him feel just as good. This became much harder when one of Ash's hands slipped down her toned stomach and began to gently rub her through her panties. "Ash~!" She moaned as she raised her hips slightly to increase the friction.

"I've seen a few things myself." Ash murmured against her neck making her shiver in pleasure. The two continued their lustful stroking of each other interspersed with kisses, licks, gentle bites, and sucking on each other's skin. They were both going to have more than a couple hickeys by the time they were done. "Misty…I'm gonna~!" Ash warned her only to be pulled into a kiss before she whispered into his ear.

"Me too~…Do it~." Misty breathed hotly. Ash lost his control and came hard into Misty's stroking hand while the orangette shook from her own orgasm. Ash felt her soaked panties become even wetter under his fingers. The two softly collapsed pressing their bodies together as they enjoyed the afterglow of their session. Ash was breathing heavily with his face buried in Misty's neck while she had her arms wrapped tightly around him and was panting into his black hair. "Hey…Ash~." Misty murmured making Ash look at her. Misty showed him her hand covered in his cum. With a naughty wink the orangette licked his seed off her hand until it was gone and swallowed it all. Ash groaned from the sheer sexuality of the display and felt himself twitch even though he'd just released. He gently buried his face against her neck again with a sigh.

"You're...amazing~." Ash mumbled into her neck before giving it another kiss. Misty sighed happily as she slowly came down from her own haze and gently wrapped her arms around Ash.

"You too~." Misty purred just before Ash rolled them over so that she was curled up to his right side and he was lying on his back. The couple moaned and sighed as their hands freely wandered as they enjoyed their closeness. They could both feel their Auras flaring and knew any Aura user in the vicinity of the Pokémon Center could probably see their entwined Auras practically engulfing the area of the building their room was in. But they couldn't care less right now, they had each other, the rest of the world could wait.

"Need to do laundry again." Ash teased as he nuzzled Misty's orange locks.

"Hush you." Misty whispered softly as she gently stroked his chest.

**-End Chapter-**

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**Second Badge acquired! Now we're talking! Ash has succeeded on his second challenge of the Copper Town Gym! Plus Misty has noticed that their Water Types are starting to show signs of Evolution! Will Ash soon have another evolved Pokémon? Will Misty? Onward to Route Fifty! Who will we meet there? Will it be fun? Will more Pokémon join the team? Keep reading to find out!**

**Ash's Current Pokémon**

**Pikachu – Static – Tail Whip, Thundershock, Growl, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle, Double Team, Light Screen, Reflect**

**Riolu – Inner Focus – Foresight, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up, Copycat, Force Palm, Detect, Double Team**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap**

**Butterfree – Compound Eyes – Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Gust, Confusion**

**Pidgeotto – Keen Eye – Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Teddiursa – Pick Up – Covet, Lick, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack**

**Misty's Current Pokémon**

**Staryu – Natural Cure – Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage**

**Starmie – Natural Cure - Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage, Protect**

**Goldeen – Lightning Rod – Peck, Tail Whip, Watersport, Supersonic, Horn Attack, Flail, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Icy Wind**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! I'll even help out with Badge design/name! You'd get to have your own Gym Leader with their own unique Badge!**

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Ash will challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type, Flying Type and Dragon Type being the four. All four now have OCs planned out thanks to some awesome patrons!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	14. Route 50, Gather in the Wild

**Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! Onward to Route Fifty! This is the longest Route in Kanto! By foot it takes at least a full week to walk it! But Ash and Misty don't have that problem thanks to their Skiddo! Who will they meet? Will they capture new Pokémon?**

**As always Patrons get all chapters early and all one-shots are Pat re on exclusive.**

**If you'd like to become a patron and get access to these chapters earlier, just head on over to Pat re on and add a /Kairomaru after the com.**

**Make sure to thank the patrons that make these stories possible by checking out the Patron Plaque on my profile!**

**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

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**Chapter 14 – Route 50, Gather in the Wild**

"Ready to head out, Ash?" Misty asked as the couple finished packing up their packs for the trip along Route Fifty. They'd already restocked at the Pokémart for supplies for both them and their Pokémon earlier in the morning. All that was left was to turn in their room key to Nurse Joy and head out of Copper Town.

"Yep, I've got everything, let's go." Ash confirmed as he hefted his pack onto his back. The couple left their room and headed down into the lobby. The room key was quickly handed over and Nurse Joy thanked them politely. Ash and Misty left the Pokémon Center and smiled at the nice weather, it was perfect for travelling.

"Ah, smell that spring air, it's going to be a good day!" Misty declared and Ash chuckled with a nod. The two released their Skiddo from their Pokéballs and made sure that their saddles were secure.

"You two ready for a day of travel?" Ash asked getting happy bleats from both of the Goat Pokémon. With pets and scratches of appreciation Ash and Misty mounted their Ride Pokémon and set off towards Route Fifty. A few short minutes later the couple were passing through the city gate and exiting Copper Town.

"Later you two!" Ash waved to the two Steelix Protectors as they rode away from the gate. The two massive Steelix only gave a short glance at the two Trainers before going back to their guarding.

"Let's pick up the pace a little bit; Route Fifty is the longest in Kanto after all." Misty reminded as she urged her Skiddo forward.

"Sure thing." Ash agreed as he had his Skiddo match Misty's pace. The couple rode through the Route at a comfortable pace for their Skiddo. The two Goat Pokémon were happily stretching their legs as they made their way down the long Route. In the first two hours of their trip the couple kept their eyes open for any Pokémon they may want to catch. During this time they kept up pleasant conversation and discussed future training for their Pokémon. The first thing they saw of note that day was another Trainer riding a Rhyhorn heading their way.

"Morning." The Rhyhorn rider nodded to the couple as they passed each other on the road.

"Good morning." Ash and Misty nodded back as they continued on. A few minutes later and the couple were talking about the list of potential Ride Pokémon to pass the time.

"I knew that Rhyhorn were used as Ride Pokémon, mostly because of their endurance and stamina. They'll keep moving along without issue as long as their stomach is full and they're hydrated." Ash stated and Misty nodded thoughtfully.

"I've heard of some people even riding well trained Persian and Houndoom. Though since they're both grassland Pokémon they probably couldn't carry a rider up cliffs or mountainous terrain." Misty mused and Ash pulled out his Pokédex to look up the two species average size and weight.

"Hmm, they'd have to be a lot bigger than average to be used as Ride Pokémon. The average Persian is only about thirty-two kilograms in weight, since they're mostly muscle if you doubled that they'd probably be able to carry an adult without much trouble. Houndoom is a bit bigger than a Persian but would still need to pack on near double the average amount of muscle to be able to comfortably carry around an adult." Ash informed as he looked over the information. "They'd definitely need to be well trained to be Ride Pokémon."

"I've heard riding Stantler in Johto isn't uncommon." Misty stated and Ash nodded back.

"I've heard of that too." Ash replied. "I wonder if that would be similar to riding Skiddo."

"Maybe, though it may not be as comfortable." Misty praised her Skiddo as she patted him on the head.

"Ski!" Misty's Skiddo bleated happily.

"You may be right." Ash chuckled as he patted his own Skiddo getting a happy bleat as well. The two continued chatting as they rode along the Route until the sun was high in the sky.

"Hmm, I'd say it's about lunch time." Misty grinned at her boyfriend.

"I could eat." Ash agreed as they looked for a clear area to set up for lunch. They found a suitable spot about ten minutes later and released their Pokémon for food. "Pikachu let's get some firewood, buddy."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded and jumped off Ash's shoulder to start looking for dry fallen sticks. While Ash and Pikachu looked for firewood Misty easily set out bowls for their Pokémon and filled them with Type Specific food. The group of Pokémon quickly set about eating and both of their Skiddo were happily munching on grass and brush around the clearing. Misty looked around before using her Aura to gather a large ball of water between her hands.

"Skiddo, come get some water, you two have been carrying us all morning." Misty offered and both of the Goat Pokémon moved towards her and started to drink from the ball of water Misty was maintaining. Once the two Ride Pokémon had their fill Misty offered water to the rest of their Pokémon. Ash and Pikachu returned while the Pokémon were taking turns getting water. Quickly getting the fire pit made, Ash ignited the firewood with Fire Aura and started pulling out some of the food they'd bought this morning in Copper Town.

"How's fried ham and egg sandwiches sound for lunch?" Ash asked Misty as Pikachu ran over to his bowl of Electric Type food and started stuffing his cheeks.

"Add some fresh greens to them and they'll be great!" Misty cheered as she pulled out some of her own food.

"Sure thing, Misty." Ash laughed as he pulled out a wrapped package of Grumpig ham and opened the small container that carried the eggs. Misty had shown him the Ice Aura trick she used to chill food down to almost frozen so that it could be preserved for a day or two. His girlfriend was amazing and just thinking about her brought a smile to his face. Ash sprayed the skillet with some cooking spray he'd gotten at the Pokémart and laid a few pieces of ham on the skillet. The sizzle of cooking meat soon followed and Ash delighted in the smell. Cracking the eggs into the skillet right after the ham finished cooking was the next step.

"Plates are ready, Ash." Misty called and Ash looked away from the skillet to see Misty had two plates set out on a small picnic blanket. Each plate had two slices of bread on them which Misty had already placed the cooked ham on. On the side of the plates were fresh lettuce and spinach leaves waiting to be added to their sandwiches.

"Just a little bit longer, Misty." Ash replied as he watched over the eggs. Another minute of cooking and Ash used his spatula to remove the cooked eggs and place them onto a waiting sandwich. The couple smiled at each other as they placed the lettuce and spinach leaves onto their own sandwich before taking the first bite.

"Mmm, not bad at all." Misty complimented her boyfriend.

"They came out pretty good." Ash agreed as he took another bite. The sandwiches were finished shortly and the couple set about cleaning the skillet and plates. Once the dishes were finished and put away bathroom breaks were taken in turns, as usual for them, before they both returned to the picnic blanket.

"I think we can take a little longer here. The Pokémon are definitely enjoying themselves." Misty commented as they watched their Pokémon play around.

"No argument from me." Ash grinned as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side. Misty giggled as she laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled close.

"I didn't think you'd mind." Misty smiled as she enjoyed the nice weather with her boyfriend. Ash sighed contently as he gently rested his head atop Misty's breathing in her scent. The two felt their Auras entwine again and cuddled closer, both happy being close and watching their Pokémon play around. Ash grinned mischievously as he slowly lowered them back into lying down on the picnic blanket.

"Ash?" Misty questioned as she lay beside her boyfriend. "What're you planning?" She asked with a teasing lilt in her voice.

"Nothing…" Ash trailed off before kissing her cheek softly. Misty grinned before turning her head to catch her boyfriend's lips in a soft kiss.

"Nothing, huh?" Misty teased as she pulled back from the kiss. The loving, happy gaze Ash looked at her with made her heart flutter and she couldn't hold back her own smile. "What if I want something?" She questioned as she sat up so she could look over at him.

"Then I'll give it to you." Ash replied softly the look in his eyes never changing. Misty couldn't help but bask in that look and the emotions she felt from Ash through their entwined Auras. The orangette straddled her boyfriend before leaning over him.

"No take backs." Misty breathily responded as she lowered her lips to catch Ash's in another kiss. Ash kissed her back as his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her fully on top of him. The couple made out right there under the sun, not far from the main Route without a care for anyone that might pass by. After several minutes the two separated for a bit and tried to cool their heads.

"I guess we should head out soon." Ash reasoned as his hands gently gilded up and down Misty's exposed sides.

"We probably should, it should only take about three days to make it to Cerulean with our Skiddo's help." Misty nodded as her own hands continued to roam over Ash's chest.

"That means we'll have to let go of each other." Ash sighed with a grimace. Misty giggled before pulling Ash into a sitting position and kissing him again.

"We'll have time tonight, so don't look so down." Misty promised with a smoldering look that made Ash instantly nod his head in agreement. The couple returned their Pokémon to their Pokéballs and folded up the picnic blanket. Pikachu climbed back up onto Ash's shoulder as Misty stowed the blanket back into her pack and the two mounted their Skiddo again.

"Alright, let's head out!" Ash called and both Skiddo bleated happily as they quickly started trotting further down the Route. The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, the couple saw two more Trainers riding by, one on a Tauros about an hour after lunch. The second Trainer they'd passed was about an hour before they decided to set up camp. This Trainer was riding a Ponyta and had given a polite greeting as they passed each other. Now they were setting up camp for the night and getting their group settled for the evening. Dinner that night consisted of pork fried rice and a salad made from the fresh vegetables Misty had bought at the Copper Town Pokémart. After showers were taken and their Pokémon were safely inside their Pokéballs for the night Misty made good on her promise from lunch. Ash absolutely adored his girlfriend and Misty reciprocated his feelings whole heartedly. The two made out and got frisky until they fell asleep snuggled up together with content smiles on their faces.

"I think we're ready." Ash stated as he looked over their packed up campsite. He didn't see anything left behind and turned to make sure Misty was ready.

"Good to go." Misty nodded as the two got back onto their Skiddo's saddles and started heading for Cerulean once more. It was a few hours of riding later that the couple had their first surprise of the day.

"Do you hear something?" Ash asked making Misty look at him while Pikachu and both Skiddo raised their ears to listen for what Ash had heard.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu called out while pointing upwards and slightly ahead of the group. There was a dust cloud coming down one of the slopes towards the Route.

"What's that?" Misty questioned as she held her hand above her eyes like a visor to try and see what was causing the dust cloud.

"There's something rolling down the slope." Ash replied as he used his Aura to enhance his vision making his eyes glow slightly.

"Is it a Graveler?" Misty asked knowing that the Rock/Ground Types liked to roll down slopes and mountains as a form of locomotion.

"Not unless Graveler have started turning blue." Ash grinned now knowing with some sureness what they were looking at. "That's a Phanpy!" True to Ash's words when the rolling Pokémon hit the mostly flat ground of the Route it spun around in a wide circle a few times before rolling to a stop. What appeared from the dust cloud was a small blue Elephant Pokémon with orange marks on its ears and long nose.

"Phan!" Phanpy called out as it took notice of the two Trainers and their Pokémon.

"It's a cutie." Misty cooed at the adorable Pokémon.

"Donphan are pretty strong Ground Types, I'm going to catch this little guy!" Ash declared as he dismounted Skiddo and palmed a Pokéball from his belt.

"Py!" Phanpy trumpeted in challenge standing ready for a battle.

"I like you already!" Ash smiled at the tough little elephant. "Teddiursa let's show him the results of your training!" He called out as he tossed the Pokéball in his hand forward releasing the Little Bear Pokémon in a flash of white light.

"Teddi!" Teddiursa growled as he locked eyes with his opponent.

"Let's start off with Bulk Up!" Ash instructed and Teddiursa flexed while being surrounded by a reddish-orange glow. Misty's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise since she was fairly certain that Bulk Up wasn't a move Teddiursa learned naturally.

"Phanpy!" Phanpy trumpeted again before rolling up and being surrounded by a red glow.

"It used Defense Curl." Ash noted before instructing Teddiursa again. "Another Bulk Up it might be up to something." Teddiursa flexed again raising its Attack and Defense another stage on top of the first increases.

"Pha!" Phanpy called from its rolled up state as its body shot forward rapidly in a roll.

"That's Rollout!" Ash exclaimed surprised that Phanpy knew the Defense Curl and Rollout combination. "Teddiursa catch it and use Lick we can't let Rollout build up power!"

"Ursa!" Teddiursa confirmed as it grabbed onto the rolling Ground Type. With his Defense boosted two stages the Rollout only did a bit of damage but Teddiursa was still pushed back a bit. Teddiursa extended its tongue, covered in the pale blackish-purple color of Ghost Type Aura, before licking the slowly rotating Phanpy.

"Phan!" Phanpy cried out as it shivered and its body emitted small sparks. Paralysis had taken effect on the small Ground Type.

"That's the way Teddiursa!" Ash cheered on his Pokémon. "Use Feint Attack!"

"Sa!" Teddiursa growled as his paw was coated in Dark Type Aura and he slugged the immobilized Phanpy. The elephant was sent sprawling before shakily getting to its feet.

"Phanpy!" Phanpy trumpeted as it charged Teddiursa with a powerful Tackle.

"Teddiursa, use Sweet Scent!" Ash called out and Teddiursa grinned as it emitted a pink mist from its paws. The sweet smelling mist dulled Phanpy's movement and made it easier for Teddiursa to side step the incoming Tackle attack. "Feint Attack!" Ash called again and Teddiursa was quickly upon the slower moving Phanpy. Another swipe from the Dark Type attack sent Phanpy stumbling, but the Elephant Pokémon showed its toughness by not falling even as sparks from Paralysis appeared all over its body again.

"Phan!" Phanpy called out defiantly making Ash smile at how tough the little elephant was.

"One more Feint Attack should do it!" Ash called and Teddiursa rushed the Ground Type. The Dark Type attack connected but Phanpy didn't budge from its position. A faint red glow appeared around its body as Teddiursa backed up a few steps to re-assess his opponent. "It used Endure! This Phanpy is older than I thought!" Ash commented before picking out a Pokéball from his pack. 'Since Phanpy has low health and is paralyzed it shouldn't be able to break free of the Pokéball.' He thought to himself as he enlarged the ball and tossed it at the Ground Type.

"Pha?" Phanpy was confused when the Pokéball tapped it on the head, before it was engulfed in red light and drawn into the Pokéball. Ash watched as the Pokéball shook back and forth for a few moments before the ball sounded out a successful capture and automatically shrank down. The red glow coming from the button in the middle of the Pokéball showing the ball was locked.

"Alright! I caught a Phanpy!" Ash cheered as he ran over and grabbed the shrunken Pokéball off the ground. "You did great Teddiursa!" Ash praised his Normal Type by rubbing his head and scratching behind the cub's ears.

"Ur!" Teddiursa exclaimed as he leaned into Ash's pats and scratches.

"Take a nice rest buddy, you've earned it." Ash praised again as he returned the Little Bear Pokémon to his Pokéball.

"That was pretty good Ash, Teddiursa barely took any damage." Misty congratulated as Ash walked back over to his Skiddo. "But how does Teddiursa know Bulk Up? They don't learn it naturally to my knowledge."

"I had Riolu teach Teddiursa how to use it." Ash informed as he got back on Skiddo's saddle. "Anytime Riolu wasn't working on Double Team or Detect I had him help Teddiursa learn Bulk Up."

"I see, that makes sense." Misty nodded as Ash pulled out his Pokédex.

"Yeah, according to what I looked up Ursaring are strong Physical Attackers but not much for Speed. So learning a Move like Bulk Up that increases its already high Attack power while building up its Defense at the same time is perfect for him." Ash explained as he scanned Phanpy's Pokéball with his Pokédex.

"Phanpy, the Long Nose Pokémon, Phanpy uses its long nose to shower itself. When others gather around, they thoroughly douse each other with water. These Pokémon can be seen drying their soaking-wet bodies at the edge of water. As a sign of affection, it bumps others with its snout. However, it is so strong, it may send them flying." The Pokédex intoned before listing Phanpy's known moves. "This Phanpy is Male and knows the moves; Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, and Endure." Ash nodded at the moves the small elephant knew before switching over to Ability Identifier Mode. "This Phanpy has the Ability Pick Up."

"Well for now I'll let him recover at Professor Oak's." Ash decided as he held the button on the locked ball down for several seconds. The shrunken Pokéball disappeared in a flash of white light. "I'll switch my team around again once I get to Cerulean so I can get to know the little guy." Ash nodded to himself as he thought about Pidgeotto that was currently on break from training at Professor Oak's. At the moment his Team consisted of Pikachu, Riolu, Skiddo, Butterfree, Teddiursa, and Poliwag.

"Well let's keep going, if possible I'd like to spend at least a day at Kitako Lake to try and catch a new Water Pokémon or two." Misty said as she urged her Skiddo forward. Ash had his Skiddo match her pace again as they continued down Route Fifty.

"That's fine with me; I've never been to Kitako Lake so I'm eager to see it. Don't know if I'll catch anything though." Ash replied getting a smile from Misty since she'd been on her way to Copper Town the first time. Unfortunately she hadn't had time to catch anything or she would have missed Copper Town's Founding Tournament. The couple continued on their way uneventfully for the next couple of hours and reached the massive Kitako Lake around lunch time.

"It's just as pretty as I remember it." Misty gushed looking out over the pristine lake.

"I knew it was big, but this lake is beyond huge!" Ash exclaimed looking over the vast expanse of water. There were even a few tiny islands in the lake itself, each covered in a small stand of trees.

"Huh, there are a few more people here than when I passed by last time." Misty noted pointing down to a large cleared area next to the lake. Ash looked over and noticed at least two dozen people and various tents set up. There even appeared to be a couple of modern 'tiny home' style wagons set up.

"Maybe something is going on?" Ash suggested and Misty shrugged.

"Won't know until we get there, I guess." Misty replied as she and Ash started riding down the slope towards the large cleared area. With Skiddo the couple made it to the area in only a few minutes and they dismounted their Ride Pokémon at the edge of the tents.

"Take a good rest Skiddo." Ash thanked his Grass Type as he returned him to the Pokéball. Misty likewise praised her Skiddo as she let him rest in his own Pokéball. "I guess we should ask around and see what's up." Ash stated and Misty agreed as they took each other's hand and entwined their fingers. Both gave a soft smile to each other as their Auras naturally entwined again before heading off to try and figure out what was going on. They found a large, older man sitting with a few other Trainers of various ages looking over a map. The man looked up upon noticing them and spoke.

"Hello there, have you come to help out with the Kanto Ecological Department's Job?" The large man asked. Looking the man over the couple noted he was probably in his late forties or early fifties. He had a salt and pepper beard and his hair was the same. He had very warm and kind eyes though, especially for a man that was as well built as he was.

"Uh, no, actually we just got here from Copper Town." Ash informed the man. "We don't know anything about a government Job."

"Ah, forgive me for assuming, the last several Trainers to arrive here in the past two days have been here for the Job." The man bowed slightly.

"No apology needed, sir." Misty waved the man's apology away. "But what kind of Job has brought out the Ecology Department to Kitako Lake?"

"The Stantler herds up here have recently gotten a bit too big." The man explained. "Over the last year at least three dozen Ursaring have been captured by passing through Trainers. With the decline of one of their few predators the Stantler herds have had a population boom. We're here to cull the herds a bit so that no further ecological harm will be done to the area. The people here with me are part of Team Two. Teams One, Three, Four, Five, and Six are at other locations around the lake to perform their own portion of the Job."

"Oh wow, I'd heard that over catching a single species was just as bad as over hunting but I didn't know it was happening up here." Ash grimaced as he realized what kind of harm the loss of predators could do to the ecosystem of the lake area.

"Indeed, because I have a bit of a specialty with Ursaring, I was sent up here to take stock of their current population and propose a new Legal Catch Limit for them once the Stantler herds have been culled." The man informed the two and Ash felt Misty's emotions turn to shock through their entwined Auras for a moment.

"Now I know why you look familiar! You're Arthur Matheson!" Misty exclaimed and the man nodded with a kind smile.

"Indeed I am, young lady." Arthur chuckled while Misty blushed at her outburst.

"Who is he?" Ash whispered to her confused.

"He's a legend in the Pokémon Tournament Circuit, Ash. He was called the 'Bear King' during his professional days. His Pokémon Team always consisted of Bear Pokémon. He's an Expert Level Trainer that only participates in a few tournaments a year now days. A lot of Tournament Trainers look up to him for making it to the top of the Circuit with such a unique theme." Misty informed excitedly and Ash had to admit he was impressed. Using only Bear Pokémon greatly limited a Trainer's Type Coverage. That this man had risen to the top of the Tournament Circuit with such a limitation spoke volumes of his skills.

"So would you two like to help? We could always use a few more hands. Plus we're not letting the Stantler go to waste. We're going to have a celebration tomorrow night after the Job is complete." Arthur informed.

"What do you think?" Ash asked Misty looking into her eyes.

"It's not happening until tomorrow. We could fish for the rest of today and then help out tomorrow. I'm sure we'd be compensated since the Kanto Region Government is the one paying for this Job." Misty responded and Ash nodded at her reasoning.

"Could I ask about the compensation for this Job, sir?" Ash questioned Arthur and the older man nodded.

"Of course, the pay for any assisting Trainer is fifty thousand PokéYen." Arthur informed them getting blinks from Ash and Misty in return. That wasn't bad for a Job, though since the Government was the one funding it the amount reflected the importance they placed on this Job.

"Let's do it, Ash, we'll be set for a while with that much." Misty nodded and Ash agreed.

"Count us in, sir!" Ash stated and Arthur smiled.

"Welcome aboard…" Arthur began but trailed off. Ash and Misty realized they hadn't introduced themselves.

"I'm Ash Ketchum, sir." Ash introduced himself.

"Misty Waterflower, sir." Misty bowed slightly.

"Great to have you with us, Ash and Misty, we're just going over the map of our area so we know where to find the Stantler herd we'll be culling from." Arthur nodded towards the map. "Once the Job is done tomorrow we'll be having one heck of a feast with the rest of the groups!"

"Sounds good to us, sir." Ash grinned as he and Misty sat down at the table the map was placed on. They spent the next half hour there going over the Job for the next day and where they would be stationed during the hunting.

"Alright, that wraps us up for today, ladies and gentlemen. Make sure you enjoy the rest of today because we'll be up bright and early tomorrow." Arthur announced getting nods and affirmations from the group of Trainers. As Misty and Ash walked away from the meeting they discussed plans for the rest of the day.

"I'll set up our tent and get the shower bag ready, Misty." Ash offered.

"I can help, Ash, I don't mind." Misty replied but Ash simply set his pack down in an empty area a little ways away from the next closest tent.

"I know you want to start fishing as soon as you can, Misty." Ash grinned while Misty set her pack down next to his. "So grab your Good Rod and hit the lake while I take care of the set up."

"Are you sure?" Misty asked as she looked at her pack where her Good Rod was stowed away.

"Positive." Ash confirmed with a grin. "I'll join you once I'm done. I've got to test out this Good Rod you helped get me at the Swap Meet after all."

"Ok, I'll see you by the lake soon." Misty smiled as she pulled him into a soft kiss. The two separated with grins on their faces as Misty unpacked her Good Rod and extended it before getting out her Lure Kit and heading towards the lake. Ash smiled at seeing his girlfriend so happy before he set about making camp. Over the course of the next several minutes Ash set up their tent, filled and hung the solar shower bag, and made the tarp shower room that he and Misty had used ever since their first outdoor showers.

"Done and done, now just secure the packs inside the tent and meet Misty for some fishing." Ash nodded to himself as he placed both packs into the tent and retrieved his own Good Rod from his pack. "Pikachu can you guard our stuff for me?" He asked his Starter getting a confirming nod from the Electric Type.

"Pika!" Pikachu gave him a thumbs up with his front paw as he hopped down onto the tent floor.

"Thanks buddy." Ash smiled at his partner. Pikachu trotted around the tent for a second as Ash exited and closed the flap. The last thing Ash saw was Pikachu curling up in front of their packs. "So he's only agreeing so he can take a nap." Ash chuckled to himself with a smile.

Zipping the tent up Ash made his way down to the lake shore and looked around for Misty's distinct orangette hair. It didn't take long to spot his girlfriend in the shade of a large tree with her line in the water. Making his way over to her Ash waved to get Misty's attention.

"Hey Ash, done already?" Misty asked as Ash sat next to her and started preparing his Good Rod like she had shown him.

"Yeah, we've both had plenty of practice so it doesn't take too long anymore." Ash replied as he attached a lure to the end of his line and cast out into the lake. Misty sighed contently as she leaned against Ash's shoulder while watching her line. Ash smiled as he gently placed his head on top of Misty's and breathed in her scent. The couple happily waited for something to bite while enjoying their closeness, they'd never get tired of having their Auras entwined like this. Almost thirty minutes later and Misty's line pulled taunt as something took the bait.

"Got something!" Misty cheered as she and Ash separated so Misty could stand up and reel in her catch. "Feisty aren't you?" She praised the submerged Pokémon as it refused to come up from the depths. "Ash, the third Pokéball on my belt is Goldeen's can you send her out for me?" Misty requested and Ash quickly pulled the Pokéball she requested off her belt and enlarged it. In the next second Ash had released Goldeen into the water.

"Goldeen?" Goldeen queried looking over at Misty struggling with her catch.

"Goldeen, swim down and give whatever Pokémon is on the end of my line a Horn Attack!" Misty instructed and Goldeen promptly dove down into the water to carry out the attack. A moment later and Misty's line slackened as a light blue Pokémon was forced up and out of the water with a cry.

"Wooper!" The Wooper cried out from the Horn Attack it had been hit with.

"Great job Goldeen!" Misty praised as her Goldfish Pokémon surfaced. "Use Fury Attack!" Goldeen swam rapidly towards the recovering Wooper with her horn glowing white.

"Wooper!" Wooper cried out as it launched a Water Gun at the approaching Pokémon.

"Dive and come up under it!" Misty called out and Goldeen dove underwater before striking Wooper from below with multiple thrusts from her horn.

"Per!" Wooper exclaimed as it was launched into the air again. The Water/Ground Type proved its toughness however, by spinning around and launching a blast of mud from its mouth at the Goldfish Pokémon.

"Dive!" Misty cried out and Goldeen submerged quickly just avoiding the Mud Shot attack. "Horn Attack one more time!" Goldeen surged forward just as Wooper splashed back into the lake. Wooper had no time to reorient itself before Goldeen landed her Horn Attack sending Wooper back to the surface. A moment later and the Water/Ground Type was floating unconscious on the waves. Misty quickly reached into her Lure Kit and pulled out one of the Lure Balls she'd bought at the Swap Meet. "Lure Ball, go!" She tossed the Apricorn Ball at the downed Wooper and watched it be drawn into the ball in a flash of red light. The Lure Ball floated while shaking back and forth for a moment before sounding out a successful capture. "Yes!" Misty cheered at her capture.

"Great job, Misty!" Ash praised his girlfriend at her capture. "That was flawless; Goldeen didn't take any damage at all!"

"She did great!" Misty agreed as she walked to the water's edge where Goldeen was waiting with Misty's Lure Ball in her mouth. "Thanks for getting Wooper for me, Goldeen, you did spectacular! Your training has definitely been paying off!" She praised her Pokémon as she rubbed the Goldfish Pokémon's head gently.

"Gol, goldeen!" Goldeen replied happily enjoying her praise.

"Take a nice rest girl; I might need you again if I catch something else." Misty smiled as she returned Goldeen to her Pokéball. "Ash can I borrow your Pokédex for a sec?"

"Sure thing, Misty." Ash replied as he let Misty scan her new Wooper's Pokéball.

"Wooper, the Water Fish Pokémon, Wooper usually lives in water. However, it occasionally comes out onto land in search of food. On land, it coats its body with a gooey, toxic film." The Pokédex intoned with its computerized voice. "This Wooper is Female and knows the moves; Water Gun, Tail Whip, Mud Shot, and Slam." Misty nodded at the moves Wooper knew. From her knowledge of Water Types she'd bet Wooper was fairly close to evolving into Quagsire. Her newest Pokémon was certainly big enough to indicate it being the right age for evolution. Switching over to Ability Identifier Mode, Misty scanned Wooper's Pokéball again. "This Wooper's Ability is Water Absorb."

"I knew it was a possibility, good thing I decided against using any Water Type moves." Misty exhaled in relief; that would have only prolonged the battle as Wooper healed from its Ability. Misty handed Ash his Pokédex back as she set about re-baiting her line. After casting it back into the lake she leaned into Ash again with a happy smile.

"Trying for another capture already?" Ash asked and Misty nodded.

"I'll treat Wooper and any other catch tonight." Misty replied as she snuggled close. "Plus we'll need to start getting something ready for lunch soon too. I'm starting to get a little hungry myself and I know I've heard your stomach growling." She teased making Ash huff playfully. The couple sat their watching their lines for thirty more minutes before they both got too hungry to put off lunch anymore.

"I'm starting to wonder if the Water Types here don't like me." Ash mused as he reeled his line in. "I had my line out for an hour and didn't get a nibble. Not even after I recast twice in different areas."

"I'm sure they don't have a grudge against you, Ash." Misty giggled. "Fishing is like that sometimes; you spend hours waiting but still don't get anything. But it's still relaxing, especially when you have someone to share it with." She smiled as she lightly bumped him with her hip.

"I can agree with that." Ash nodded as he put his Good Rod over his shoulder and wrapped his other arm around Misty's waist.

"So, what're you thinking about for lunch?" Misty asked as she put her Good Rod on her opposite shoulder and leaned her head on Ash's unoccupied shoulder. She couldn't help but smile at how nice her life was going right now. Ever since Ash had come into her life she'd been happier than she'd been in years. Feeling his contentment through their Auras only made her happier as they walked back to their tent together.

**-End Chapter-**

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**New Pokémon acquired! Ash has a Phanpy! Misty caught a Wooper! Now they've agreed to help on a Job requested by the Kanto Region Government! How will that go? Will they get to see how Arthur earned the epithet 'Bear King'? How many other Trainers will they meet at tomorrow night's celebratory feast? They'll have a whole lot of venison, that's for sure!**

**Ash's Current Pokémon**

**Pikachu – Static – Tail Whip, Thundershock, Growl, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle, Double Team, Light Screen, Reflect**

**Riolu – Inner Focus – Foresight, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up, Copycat, Force Palm, Detect, Double Team**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap**

**Butterfree – Compound Eyes – Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Gust, Confusion**

**Pidgeotto – Keen Eye – Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Teddiursa – Pick Up – Covet, Lick, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack, Sweet Scent, Bulk Up**

**Phanpy – Pick Up – Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, Endure**

**Misty's Current Pokémon**

**Staryu – Natural Cure – Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage**

**Starmie – Natural Cure - Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage, Protect**

**Goldeen – Lightning Rod – Peck, Tail Whip, Watersport, Supersonic, Horn Attack, Flail, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Fury Attack**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Icy Wind**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Wooper – Water Absorb – Water Gun, Tail Whip, Mud Shot, Slam**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! I'll even help out with Badge design/name! You'd get to have your own Gym Leader with their own unique Badge!**

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Ash will challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type, Flying Type and Dragon Type being the four. All four now have OCs planned out thanks to some awesome patrons!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


	15. Ecology Job, Many Trainers

**Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! Time to do a Government Sponsored Job! Plus meet some new people!**

**As always Patrons get all chapters early and all one-shots are Pat re on exclusive.**

**If you'd like to become a patron and get access to these chapters earlier, just head on over to Pat re on and add a /Kairomaru after the com.**

**Make sure to thank the patrons that make these stories possible by checking out the Patron Plaque on my profile!**

**So without further delay, please enjoy.**

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**Chapter 18 – Ecology Job, Many Trainers**

"Hey, you two up?" A male voice called out to the just waking couple. Ash and Misty both shook their heads and rubbed at their eyes. The two sat up from their sleeping bag 'bed' before Ash responded.

"Yeah, we're up." Ash yawned as he stretched. Misty was also trying to wake herself up beside him. The sun hadn't even risen yet it was so early.

"Good, Team Leader Matheson wants everyone up and ready to go in fifteen." The male voice informed before they heard the guy's footsteps walking away.

"I know he said early." Misty started; only to yawn. "But I didn't think he meant before sunrise early."

"Well we better get ready; don't want to hold up the Team." Ash sighed as he reached for his pack. Misty nodded in agreement removing her baggy t-shirt and cotton short shorts. Ash stared at his almost naked girlfriend for a second, taking in her beautiful body. Misty noticed his look and flicked his nose.

"You can stare later, Ash. Get dressed before we're late." Misty grinned knowing her boyfriend loved seeing her in only her panties like this. Ash grinned as he rubbed the back of his head before beginning to change as well. The two were finished quickly and met up with the rest of the group to head out to where the Stantler herd they'd be culling was supposed to be. Stantler were most active at dusk and dawn, but the Normal Types were known to be less wary at sunrise.

"Alright, it looks like everyone is here." Arthur nodded as he looked over the group of fifteen Trainers. Misty and Ash quickly noticed that four of the Trainers, all in their twenties at least, had rifles on their person. The couple knew the purpose was for taking out the Stantler as painlessly as possible, but it was always odd to see a firearm used against Pokémon by the average Trainer. "Let's go over the plan one last time before we head out." Getting nods of agreement Arthur went over the groups hunting plan while also motioning everyone to take one of the small radios on the table so the Team could communicate during the Job.

The Trainers' Pokémon that knew sleep inducing, paralysis causing, or escape preventing moves would be sent into the herd and target the selected Stantler. All six Teams around Kitako Lake were instructed to try and take down only male Stantler to curb the breeding this year. Thankfully Stantler were fairly easy to differentiate when it came to gender. Depending on the time of year females would either have no antlers at all or small ones that easily distinguished them as females. Male Stantler briefly shed their antlers between mating seasons but always grew larger sets than the females. On Ash and Misty's Team there was a Ghost Specialist, they hadn't gotten his name yet, but his Haunter and two Gastly all knew Mean Look. Ash had Butterfree's Sleep Powder and Stun Spore, which the Bug Type had learned recently, as well as Pikachu's Thunder Wave. Misty was going to be running interference on the herd by using Water Type moves to corral the Stantler when they started running away. The interference was vital to making sure that the rifle holders had the time they needed to take down each of the Stantler their group was assigned to cull. The total number to be taken for this Job was ten males by each Team, so sixty Stantler would be culled to curb the breeding this year. This should give enough time for the local Teddiursa population to start evolving into Ursaring and become proper predators to the Stantler again. All in all half of the Trainers in Team Two were there to run interference and keep the herd corralled until the Job was complete.

"Does everyone understand their part and where they need to be?" Arthur questioned and got nods of agreement in reply. "Good, let's head out, the sun is starting to rise so this will be the best time." With that Team Two began to make their way through the forest surrounding Kitako Lake. They moved slowly and quietly so as to not spook the herd or disturb any sleeping wild Pokémon. After almost half an hour of walking through the trees the Team came across a large meadow filled with Stantler.

"No wonder the Ecology Department was concerned." Ash whispered to Misty. "If this is only one herd then the Lake's ecosystem was definitely in danger." Misty nodded in agreement looking at the large amount of Stantler.

"Alright, corralers get into position." Arthur instructed sending the various Trainers off to surround the meadow. Misty squeezed Ash's hand and gave him a smile as she moved away. Several minutes later Arthur checked in via radio with the corral group. The older man nodded as he checked in with each Trainer before turning to the riflemen to make sure they were ready. Once he was sure Arthur gave the signal to begin. Ash briefly noticed the Haunter and the two Gastly floating over the herd before they descended. He also saw the tall grass moving as another Trainer's Arbok slithered through, the Trainer in question was a teen girl a bit older than Misty and Ash thought he'd heard her called Ashlee. On the opposite side of the field a Venomoth and a Parasect slowly made their way towards the herd. These two were courtesy of a 'Bug Maniac' as they were sometimes called. The guy appeared to be in his late teens and Ash thought he was nice enough.

"Butterfree, the Stantler right there," Ash pointed to a male slightly away from the group. "Put it to sleep with Sleep Powder."

"Free." Butterfree replied as he flew upwards and made his way towards his target unseen.

"Pikachu, your target is that one right there," Ash informed as he pointed out a Stantler that was grazing several meters away from their current position. "Use Thunder Wave to paralyze it and if it tries to run use Double Team to box it in."

"Pika." Pikachu nodded as he leaped down and quietly made his way through the long grass. In less than twenty seconds the herd went crazy. The Haunter and Gastly had targeted three Stantler and used Mean Look. A blackish aura surrounded the Normal Types as they froze up and Ash heard the four shots from the rifles go off. The three Stantler dropped and a fourth that had been caught in the Arbok's Glare also fell. Butterfree had quickly covered his target in the green dust of Sleep Powder making the Big Horn Pokémon collapse to the ground asleep. The Venomoth across the field had covered a Stantler in Stun Spore while the Parasect had used Spore to put another one to sleep. A bright spark of electricity and the Stantler that Pikachu went after was collapsing with sparks appearing around its body.

The Stantler herd started charging towards the forest in multiple directions but was repelled by various attacks. Ash paid close attention to the spot that was suddenly deluged with water knocking multiple Stantler backwards and diverting the herd to run in another direction. Misty was pulling off her part of the Job very well it would seem. Another part of the forest suddenly erupted into a gale of powerful winds that sent some Stantler back while the herd moved away from the area. Two more gunshots rang out as Ash noticed another two Stantler caught by the Haunter and Gastly with Mean Look.

"Ah shit!" Ash heard exclaimed from one of the rifleman. "Boss the Defender is charging!" Ash turned to look and noticed a large male Stantler charging towards the group with rifles. The Stantler's head and horns glowing brightly with Psychic Aura; a move Ash recognized as Zen Headbutt.

"That's why I'm here." Arthur stated as he threw a Pokéball. "Ursaring, come out!" In a flash of white light a massive Ursaring appeared with a growl. The average Ursaring stood around five foot and eleven inches or one point eight meters tall when standing upright on its back legs. Arthur's Ursaring was easily ten feet or three meters tall in the same position. "There's no point in killing the Defender, it's a male that is passed its breeding years and only serves to protect the herd. Ursaring use Roar!" Every creature in the meadow and surrounding forest, Human and Pokémon alike, locked up from the incredibly loud roar that the massive Ursaring let loose. The Humans instantly slapped their hands over their ears from the volume even as goosebumps covered their entire bodies. The Stantler herd began emitting loud scream-like cries as they all bolted in the opposite direction of Arthur's Ursaring. The corral group let them pass and soon the meadow was empty of all the Stantler except the dead, sleeping or paralyzed. Pikachu and Butterfree suddenly crashed into Ash, both shaking in fear from the powerful Roar move. Ash spent the next few minutes holding his Pokémon and calming them down while the riflemen moved forward into the meadow to finish off the paralyzed and sleeping Stantler. Four more gunshots rang out in short order before Arthur called over the radio to have everyone gather in the meadow.

"You alright?" Misty asked and Ash gave her a nod as the two embraced.

"Just a bit startled." Ash reassured as he hugged his girlfriend.

"Ok people, we need to gut and clean these Stantler before we transport them back to camp. Leave the innards in the meadow and the local Spearow, Fearow, and Murkrow will make short work of them once they return." Arthur instructed as the group congregated together. Ash returned Butterfree to his Pokéball as did the rest of the team with their own Pokémon. The 'Bug Maniac' teen released a Scyther and the large Bug/Flying Type started helping gut the dead Stantler. Ash felt Misty shudder at the sight of the large Bug Pokémon and pulled her over to the edge of the meadow to help calm her down. Of all Bug Type Pokémon native to the Kanto Region, Scyther was by far the most feared. The species was naturally aggressive and the razor sharp sickles they possessed had taken many a Pokémon and Human life throughout recorded history. Those who wished to catch one needed to be prepared to counter the swift and often lethal attacks of the large Mantis Pokémon.

"You ok, Misty?" Ash asked and Misty breathed deeply before replying.

"Yeah…yeah, I'll be fine." Misty responded as she took steadying breaths. Ash pulled her into a hug and Misty wrapped her arms around him. Their Auras entwined and Ash poured his love, happiness, and acceptance into the mix. Misty sought out these feelings and basked in the comfort they brought to her through their Auras. Ash slowly felt the fear within Misty's Aura diminish as she stopped trembling and warm positive emotions began to take over his girlfriend's Aura. "Thank you, Ash." Misty murmured against his neck as they held each other.

"Anytime Misty, anytime." Ash replied as he hugged her. The two separated a minute later and walked back over to the group once they saw the Scyther returned to its Pokéball. Arthur took one look at the pair, including Misty's eyes nervously shifting towards the 'Bug Maniac', before he nodded to them in understanding.

"Alright Team; let's head back to camp with the meat." Arthur instructed as he released two more Pokémon. The flash of white light revealed a large Pangoro and an equally impressive Beartic. These two, along with Ursaring, each hefted a Stantler over each shoulder, easily transporting six of the ten.

"We'll get the other four, Boss." One of the riflemen stated as he and another rifleman released a Machoke each. The two Fighting Type Pokémon easily hefted two Stantler each and carried them back following behind Arthur and his three Bear Pokémon. The walk back to camp took another thirty minutes and once there the group set about preparations for the evening celebration. Arthur and the riflemen Trainers, which Ash and Misty learned were actually employees of the Kanto Region Ecology Department, did the actual butchering of the Stantler. Over the course of about five hours Teams One, Three, Four, Five, and Six arrived with their own culled Stantler. Seeing all the preparations being made Ash and Misty approached Arthur. The older man smiled at seeing them and the older woman he was talking with turned towards them.

"Ash, Misty you both did great work out there today!" Arthur praised and both teens smiled and thanked him for the praise. "What can I help you with?"

"We were wondering if there is anything we can do to help with the preparations now that the butchering is done." Misty asked and the older woman smiled.

"Of course, I'm sure my lovely Gwen could use an extra pair of hands." Arthur grinned and the woman, Gwen, smiled fondly at Arthur.

"Pleasure to meet you two, my name is Gwen; I'm Arthur's wife." Gwen introduced herself with a smile. "I could definitely use some help getting the fires going for the grills and if you two have any cooking skills I could definitely put you to work." The older woman grinned and Ash and Misty just felt comfort from the woman's presence.

"We both can do a bit." Ash nodded and Gwen made a pleased hum.

"Alright then let's get the grills going." Gwen stated as she led the couple towards the area where the cooking would take place. "Ash if you could start the fires I'll gather up the rest of the cooking helpers and we'll start prepping the meat and making a nice sauce to spread on the meat while it's cooking."

"Yes, ma'am." Ash replied and Gwen waved him off with a light laugh.

"Just Gwen is fine, young man." Gwen assured before she and Misty went to round up the helpers. Ash went and fetched his flint striker from the tent to start the fire. Aura had long since fallen out of common use and now days the Aura Users that remained didn't show it to people not 'in the know' unless they had to. The misuse of Aura could cause a lot of damage. With the rise of Pokémon Gangs and Organized Crime Teams it was decided long before even Ash's Great-Grandparents were born that the 'Ways of Aura' would only be taught to those who would not misuse it. So far this had worked over the generations and there hadn't been any 'evil' Aura Users in centuries; or at least none that had been able to cause enough trouble to be remembered. Many Families of Aura Users had plans in place to deal with one of their own going rogue. At least that was what Ash knew from his lessons with his parents and Professor Oak.

"There we go." Ash grinned as the fires beneath all the grills were growing and reaching a good temperature for cooking. Gwen and Misty had returned with almost twenty other Trainers and the large group quickly set about washing their hands before beginning to cook. There was much laughter and cheer in the air as the large group of Trainers gathered and began to enjoy the late afternoon.

"Behold the grilling technique that's been passed down in my family for generations!" A blonde teen exclaimed from a few grills away from where Ash and Misty were brushing some sauce onto the Stantler meat. The teen was holding a pair of tongs in each hand as he prepared to do something.

"Does it require you to have two pairs of tongs?" The girl cooking at the grill next to him asked. She was a cute teen around Misty and Ash's age with dark purple hair.

"I like to dual wield!" The blonde replied as he clicked the tongs together. The purplette cracked a grin at the blonde as she watched him flip multiple pieces of meat with his two pairs of tongs.

"How about a little music?" An older, early twenties, brunette woman asked as she held up a violin. She was met with cheers from the group and she smiled. Getting herself ready she rested the violin on her shoulder before beginning to play. A beautiful melody began to fill the area and brought a smile to the Trainers. A few minutes later and a male Trainer with dark, navy blue, hair walked over to the brunette woman with a flute in hand.

"Care for a duet?" He asked and got a smile from the violinist. The man grinned back before beginning to play. It was quickly apparent the man knew the song the woman was playing as he quickly synced up with her and now the music was even nicer. Smiles and laughter abounded as the afternoon gave way to evening. Many of the women started heading towards their own bathing accommodations, including Misty. Ash hadn't actually payed much attention but now that he was looking there were dozens of 'shower stalls' of all types set up around the camp. Once the women came back, Gwen actually emerging from one of the 'tiny house' wagons, the menfolk were ushered towards the showers as well.

"Dinner is going to be great!" Ash cheered as he looked at the various dishes that all of the Trainers were making with whatever ingredients they had on hand.

"You can say that again!" Misty smiled as she took in all the food. The laughter and cheer in the air only increased more as now four Trainers had brought out instruments and were playing for the group. A violin, flute, guitar, and an ocarina all working in harmony to make a wonderful melody for the group. Once dinner was actually served among the large group the music stopped for a bit and conversations took over.

"I heard Genkishi had stepped down as Lavender Town's Gym Leader." Ash said to the Ghost Specialist that had been on his and Misty's hunting team.

"Yep, the 'Illusion Master' finally retired." Nico, the teen's name as Ash and Misty learned, confirmed with a nod. "I hear he still helps out at the Gym from time to time. But he seems to mostly pacify the Ghost Types that make Pokémon Tower their home."

"He's pushing seventy by now isn't he?" Misty questioned and Nico took a second to think about it.

"I think so; he's at least as old as Lady Agatha of the Elite Four." Nico nodded to himself.

"So who is the new Gym Leader?" Ash questioned curiously.

"Her name is Noe 'Uhane, she's from the Alola Region. Rumor has it she took on Agatha when she first came to the Kanto Region, but lost soundly. That's how she met Genkishi and started learning under him. She's been Gym Leader for about eight or nine months now." Nico informed the two.

"Hmm, Alola huh?" Ash mused aloud. "That could be difficult. I'm not well versed on any Ghost Types from Kalos, Galar, Unova, or Alola."

"I'd recommend giving the Gym a try." Nico suggested. "Even if you lose you still get to meet Noe. She's a real cutie!" He grinned teasingly making Ash chuckle while Misty playfully rolled her eyes.

"Boys." Misty huffed without any actual negativity. Ash smiled before wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her cheek. The two enjoyed more of their food for a second before another person near them spoke to them.

"If you're looking for a good Gym to challenge you should visit Azure Town's Flying Type Gym." The girl, a cute verdette with glasses, told the couple. "The Gym Leader, Jack, is way different compared to most Flying Type Specialists."

"How's so?" Misty asked her own curiosity peaked.

"Well you'd expect most Flying Type Gyms to be like the one in Violet City, right?" The verdette started. "But Jack runs his Gym differently. He uses non-Bird Flying Types to throw Trainers off their game."

"Non-Bird Flying Types? Like Zubat, Jumpluff, and Pokémon like that?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah, just like that!" The glasses-wearing girl nodded. "Jack is super chill too. He's also a Pokémon Breeder! He's super cool!" The verdette girl blushed.

"Breeder, huh? What kind of Pokémon does he raise?" Misty inquired knowing that Azure Town had the largest Breeders Association Facility in Kanto.

"He specializes in raising Combee and Mantine!" The girl smiled widely. "The Mantine become Ride Pokémon and the Combee make tasty honey! Jack's definitely one of the most awesome Gym Leaders in Kanto!"

"Hmm, Flying Types…" Ash trailed off thinking. A bit more chatting led Ash and Misty to find out that Jack was originally from Kalos which made Ash want to challenge him just to see what kind of Pokémon the man had. The music started up again shortly after Ash and Misty had finished eating. Nico asked the verdette girl, who they had learned was called Lumi, to dance and the teen girl blushed before accepting. Ash and Misty made their way over to Arthur and Gwen and chatted with them.

"So you're a Water Type Specialist, Misty?" Gwen asked for confirmation.

"Yeah, I love Water Types!" Misty smiled widely.

"How long to you plan to stay here at Kitako Lake?" Gwen inquired kindly.

"Maybe tomorrow and then leave the morning after?" Misty mused while looking at Ash.

"Works for me." Ash grinned getting a smile from Misty. The Water City Competition didn't start for another five days so they had time.

"Have you considered trying to catch one of the Bibarel around here?" Gwen questioned. "This is as far south as the species can be found after all."

"I wouldn't mind, they're so fluffy and huggable." Misty giggled and Gwen smiled at the teen.

"Well the ones on the west edge of the lake and the south edge usually hide from Trainers quickly." Gwen informed making Misty frown slightly. "But if you follow the stream that flows into the Lake from the northeast you'll find a large pond made by a Bibarel dam. Those haven't become very skittish around humans yet since most Trainers don't travel to the north of the Lake. You might even be challenged by one of them once you find the dam." The older woman smiled at the now beaming orangette.

"Well, we know what we're doing tomorrow." Ash smiled fondly at his girlfriend. Misty turned her warm and glowing smile towards him and once again Ash felt a warmth in his chest at seeing that smile.

"I'm so going to catch a Bibarel!" Misty exclaimed and Ash pulled her into a sideways hug, his arm around her waist. Arthur and Gwen smiled at the young couple, reminded of their own time dating. The music started back up and the song was apparently one that both Arthur and Gwen knew as they smiled at each other.

"I'd swim and sail on savage seas, with never a fear of drowning…" Arthur sang while looking at his wife. "And gladly ride the waves of life, if you would marry me." Gwen smiled softly at her husband as they held hands. "No scorching sun nor freezing cold, will stop me on my journey. If you will promise me your heart…and love."

"And love me for eternity…" Gwen picked up her soft voice lilting beautifully. "My dearest one, my darling dear…your mighty words astound me!" Arthur and Gwen stood up still smiling at each other. "But I've no need of mighty deeds…when I feel your arms around me!" Arthur wrapped his arms around his wife's waist a bright smile on his face.

"But I would bring you rings of gold; I'd even sing you poetry…" Arthur picked up the song. Only for Gwen to giggle out, 'Oh, would you?' "And I would keep you from all harm, if you would stay beside me!" The older couple was now slowly spinning around each other a bit away from where Ash and Misty were still sitting watching them.

"I have no use for rings of gold…I care not for your poetry." Gwen sang and Arthur made an 'Oh ho?' at his wife. "I only want your hand to hold."

"I only want you near me!" Arthur picked up again as the couple began to twirl together faster. The music and the song got faster from there and Ash and Misty couldn't keep up with the lyrics but had begun to clap along with the song. The majority of the Trainers dancing had stopped and started clapping along as well; while watching the married couple dance and sing with each other. When the song finished and the two stopped dancing everyone watching clapped and cheered happily while the couple embraced and kissed.

"I think that's what you call 'Relationship Goals'." Ash smiled at Misty.

"You'd be right." Misty gazed at him lovingly as they slowly leaned in and kissed each other. Their Auras entwined again and they tuned out the rest of the world for a minute or two as they became lost with each other. They didn't even notice when the music started back up until they separated.

"They're so cute." Gwen whispered to Arthur as the two held each other.

"They are indeed; reminds me of another young couple who found each other on their Pokémon Journey." Arthur chuckled as he briefly tightened his hug with her.

"Hmm, I suppose it does." Gwen smiled fondly. Something told the older couple that these two teens had something special and that it would last a lifetime. The celebration went long into the night and the navy-haired man helped ease everyone to sleep by playing a soft lullaby just a bit after midnight.

**-End Chapter-**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Aww, so sweet! Isn't love a grand thing? So the Job is done and Ash has some ideas of the Gym Leaders he could face. Now Misty wants to catch herself a fluffy, cuddly, absolutely adorkable Beaver Pokémon! How will that turn out? Also I plan for something special to happen next chapter! It's something I've wanted to do since Chapter 3, but I won't do it very often since it wouldn't be special otherwise! I'm sure you'll all like it!**

**By the way, if you're curious, the song they sang is called 'For the Dancing and the Dreaming' and I don't own it! But I liked it in the second How to Train Your Dragon movie and thought it worked for an older married couple.**

**Ash's Current Pokémon**

**Pikachu – Static – Tail Whip, Thundershock, Growl, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle, Double Team, Light Screen, Reflect**

**Riolu – Inner Focus – Foresight, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up, Copycat, Force Palm, Detect, Double Team**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap**

**Butterfree – Compound Eyes – Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Gust, Confusion, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore**

**Pidgeotto – Keen Eye – Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Teddiursa – Pick Up – Covet, Lick, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack, Sweet Scent, Bulk Up**

**Phanpy – Pick Up – Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, Endure**

**Misty's Current Pokémon**

**Staryu – Natural Cure – Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage**

**Starmie – Natural Cure - Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage, Protect**

**Goldeen – Lightning Rod – Peck, Tail Whip, Watersport, Supersonic, Horn Attack, Flail, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Fury Attack**

**Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Icy Wind**

**Skiddo – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down**

**Wooper – Water Absorb – Water Gun, Tail Whip, Mud Shot, Slam**

***!*Important Read Below*!***

**I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn't you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash's group! **

**Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! I'll even help out with Badge design/name! You'd get to have your own Gym Leader with their own unique Badge!**

**I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Ash will challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type, Flying Type and Dragon Type being the four. All four now have OCs planned out thanks to some awesome patrons!**

**Until I get your reviews, later!**


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